Recipe: French Onion Soup & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Three words. French. Onion. Soup. Yeah, it's delicious. This was my first time making it. Yesterday I pulled up one of my favorite food blogs and this soup was the latest recipe. Now, she adds the gratinèe topping. I didn't bother with it because 1) I'm impatient and 2) I'm only cooking for one this week. And it still turned out delicious. And so aromatic. Yum. Try it for yourself!

French Onion Soup (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients:

5 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar (I know, weird right?!)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 cups beef stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons brandy (optional)
Grated Parmesan cheese
Crumbled sourdough bread

Preparation:


Melt the butter and oil together in the bottom of a 4- to 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onions, toss to coat them in oil and cover the pot. Reduce heat to low and the onions steep for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, uncover the onions and raise the heat slightly and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes until they have turned an even, deep golden brown.

After the onions are fully caramelized, sprinkle them with flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the wine in full, then stock, a little at a time, stirring in between. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes, skimming if needed. Season more if needed. I didn't have to add any more salt. Stir in the brandy.

Top with grated Parmesan cheese and crumbled sourdough bread. Makes about eight servings. (Yeah, I have a LOT of leftovers.)


Roasted Brussels Sprouts


Ingredients:


1 lb. Brussels sproutsf
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (I used garlic sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Preheat over to 325 degrees. Cut the tough bottoms off of the Brussels sprouts and slice the sprouts in half. Coat a rimmed baking pan with olive oil and add the sprouts to the pan, tossing them to coat with the oil. Sprinkle sprouts with salt and crushed red pepper.

Roast in oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until crispy.