Onion Soup, Italian Home-Style
By dtrumble
Known in Italian as pappa alle cipolle, this soul-warming soup makes a nourishing weeknight supper. Use any combination you like: yellow onions, red onions, leeks, shallots, cipolline, even green onions. The colder it is outside, the more I caramelize the onions.
Michael's Notes: For this dish and many others, I slice the onions in a particular way that I've come to call onion-soup style. Slice off both ends of the onion, then halve the onion lengthwise and peel. Now slice thinly lengthwise (from stem end to root end, if they were still attached), not crosswise. This method gives you shorter, more even slices instead of long, stringy slivers that can be unpleasant to eat, especially in a soup.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 cups thinly sliced onions
- Sea salt, preferably gray salt
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (i reduce the vinegar a bit)
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 1/2 recipe Panzanella Croutons
- 1/4 pound Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
Preparation
Step 1
Michael's Notes: For this dish and many others, I slice the onions in a particular way that I've come to call onion-soup style. Slice off both ends of the onion, then halve the onion lengthwise and peel. Now slice thinly lengthwise (from stem end to root end, if they were still attached), not crosswise. This method gives you shorter, more even slices instead of long, stringy slivers that can be unpleasant to eat, especially in a soup.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly to release its fragrance. Add the onions and a little salt to help the onions release their liquid. Cook briskly, stirring often, for about 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, about 25 minutes more.
Add a large splash of Brandy and large splash of cointreau. Flame and cook off alcohol.
Add the sage and vinegar and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Transfer the soup to a flameproof serving dish. Bring the soup to a boil on top of the stove. Top with the croutons, then with the Fontina. Broil until the cheese melts, then serve immediately.