Onion Soup Gratinee

Onion Soup Gratinee

Much of the credit for what we know today as onion soup we can give credit to Julia Child. If you followed Julia when she was featured on TV weekly shows, she wasted nothing but turned it into such tasty dishes. French Onion Soup was her creation.

French Onion Soup has to be on the top of my list for favorite soups. This recipe by Julia Childtakes a little longer than many simpler recipes, but it’s well worth the time spent. So get out your apron, and prepare to indulge in a classic French favorite.

Ingredients:

5-6 Cups Yellow Onions, sliced thin
1/2 Yellow Onion, raw
4 tablespoons Olive Oil, 

About 8 slices French Bread,
2-3 tablespoons Cogniac, (optional)
4 ounces Parmesan Cheese,
12 ounces Swiss Cheese, Grated,
Salt and Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sage, Ground,
1 Bay Leaf,
1 cup White Wine,
6 cups Beef Stock,
3 tablespoons Flour
1/2 teaspoon Sugar,
2 tablespoons Butter,
1 tablespoon Cooking Oil,

Directions:
Heat a heavy, oven-safe, stock pot over medium-low heat and add the cooking oil once the pot is hot. Melt the butter into the hot oil.  Stir the sliced onions into the oil/butter mix, ensuring they are evenly coated. Cover the stock pot and cook for around 20 minutes checking to make sure they aren’t burning. Onions should be clear and very tender once finished. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and add the sugar and 1tsp salt. Continue cooking while stirring until onions are thoroughly browned (caramelized).

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 3 Tbsp flour. Cook 2-3 minutes until flour forms a thick paste (add more butter if needed).  Stir in 1 cup of beef stock, and stir heavily for a couple seconds.

Add the rest of the stock, wine, sage, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Drizzle both sides of french bread slices with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Cook the bread in the oven for 15 minutes on each side.

Lamb Chops With Zucchini And Cumin.

Lamb Chops With Zucchini And Cumin

Lemongrass adds a minty, citrus-forward flavor to these quick-cooking lamb chops. The marinade also includes ginger, soy sauce, garlic, green chile and cumin, while mirin adds a touch of sweetness. Adapted from cookbook author Sonoko Sakai’s “Wafu Cooking,” the dish is an homage to Jingisukan, or the “Genghis Khan” barbecue dishes served in Hokkaido, Japan, where lamb has been raised since the late 19th century.

Marinate the lamb for as short as 10 minutes or as long as 10 hours; either way, the flavors clinging to the exterior of the meat are enhanced by a quick sear in a very hot pan. While the cooked lamb is resting, use the residual fat in the pan to cook a fresh, sturdy vegetable — in this case, hunks of zucchini. As the squash softens and browns, it will pick up the charred bits of the lamb and marinade left behind.

Ingredients
Servings: 2-4 (makes 6 to 8 lamb chops and 3 cups zucchini)
Two (3-inch) stalks fresh lemongrass, trimmed, dry outer layers discarded, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
One (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced or finely grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably low-sodium
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin
1/2 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 lamb ribs chops (1 1/2 pounds total), about 3/4 inch thick, patted dry
3 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil, such as vegetable or sunflower, divided
2 medium zucchini (1 pound total), coarsely chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving
Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir together the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, serrano, if using, cumin and black pepper until combined. Add the lamb and, using your hands, toss until well coated with the marinade. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, toss again to coat and let marinate for 10 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 10 hours. Allow the lamb to come to room temperature before cooking.
When you’re ready to cook, remove the lamb from the marinade and use a knife to scrape off any excess clinging to the meat, as it will burn during cooking. 

In a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet over high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Working in batches as needed to prevent overcrowding, add the lamb chops, spacing them about 1 inch apart, and sear until well browned with a bit of char on the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. (A little smoke is okay, but if it gets to be too much, reduce the heat to medium-high.) 

Flip, and cook on the other side until browned and lightly charred, another 2 to 3 minutes. For medium-rare, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop away from the bone should read 130 degrees. Remove from the heat, transfer the lamb to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

1. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the zucchini to the skillet and sauté, stirring constantly, until browned all over with some blackened spots, 5 to 7 minutes, then remove from the heat. Uncover the lamb, and transfer the zucchini to the platter. Garnish with the lime wedges, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired, and serve, family-style.
   
   Substitutions:
   If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, skip it. Prepared lemongrass paste is too finely ground for this recipe, and may burn during cooking.
   In addition to lime wedges, you could garnish the chops with fresh mint or cilantro.
   If you don’t have fresh ginger, use additional garlic. (It’s best not to use dried ginger here, as it will burn during cooking.)
   Mirin, 1 teaspoon granulated or light brown sugar.
   If you can’t find lamb rib chops, substitute lamb loin chops.
   No lamb?  Use pork chops; boneless, skinless chicken thighs; or slabs of extra-firm tofu, with adjustments to the cooking time.
   Zucchini, sliced carrots, chopped butternut squash, snap peas, corn on the cob or chopped kale.
   Limes, lemons.