Mar 2, 2007

For Kitty

Because it was requested by Kat, here is a recipe that I stole (that's right) from the NY Times a few weeks ago. It was yummy! Much more like a savory bread pudding than a soup, but equally delicous.

Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee

1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices (around 30 slices)
9 tablespoons butter, softened
9 ounces Emmental cheese, finely grated
8 medium yellow onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon kosher/sea salt
1 cup tomato puree

1. Toast the baguette slices and coat each with butter after they have cooled. Then spread a generous layer of the Emmental cheese over them. Use all but about 1/2 cup or more of the cheese.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter (or 4 tablespoons) and saute the onions until they are very soft and golden.
3. In a casserole dish (at least 5 quarts. I used a Dutch oven), arrange a layer of 1/3 of the bread slices. Spread 1/3 of the onions over them, followed by 1/3 of the tomato puree. Repeat for two more layers. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top. To avoid boiling over, dish must not be more than 2/3 full.
4. In a saucepan, bring 1 1/2 quarts water to boil. Add the salt. Very slowly, pour the salted water into the casserole, near the edge, so that the liquid rises to the top layer of cheese without covering it. You may need more or less water.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the casserole on the stove and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Then transfer to hot oven and bake uncovered for 1 hour. The soup is ready when the surface is crusty, golden cake and the inside is unctuous (nice word!) and so well blended that it is difficult to discern onion from cheese. Each person is served some of the baked crust and some of the inside, which should be thick but not completely without liquid. Serves 6.

PS - Betcha y'all didn't know that I had mad kitchen skillz. OK, I promise never to type "skillz" again.

7 comments:

Kat said...

Good god! No wonder it's awesome...it has 9 TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER IN IT! I'll have to run 10miles when I'm done.
so
worth
it.

Verdant Earl said...

Mmmm...butter!

So worth it.

Steven said...

I'm gonna hold you to that skillz thing. ;)

Steve~

tkkerouac said...

mmmm I'm so hungry now.

Knitty Yas said...

i just want you to know that i have absolutely no kitchen skills when it comes to other people's recipes. i think my inner julia child is broken.

Verdant Earl said...

Steve - and yet there the "z" sits on the lower left of my keyboard. Just asking for me to use it, improperly...if ya know what I mean.

TK - Welcome (well, the other day...but ya know). Hey, I went to High School with a Kerouac who claimed to be related to Jack. Hmmm

Yas - I'm an awesome recipe follower. And after I cook something once, I almost never need to look at the recipe again. Ok...brag time over.

Knitty Yas said...

thanks for rubbin that in emeril.