French Onion Soup
Serves 6

To make this, I combined two classic recipes, one from “Craig Claiborne’s Favorites from The New York Times (Volume 4),” and another from the Brasserie, a very famous New York restaurant.

5 tablespoons butter
3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 white onion, thinly sliced
6 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup white wine
5 cups beef stock
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash of Kitchen Bouquet
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
12 slices crusty baguette

1. Have on hand 6 heatproof soup bowls or crocks.
2. In a heavy soup pot, melt the butter. Add the onions and shallots. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until the onions are caramelized.
3. Sprinkle the onion mixture with the flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the flour is absorbed.
4. Add the wine, stirring constantly, then the stock and water. When the mixture comes to a boil add the bay leaves, salt, pepper, and Kitchen Bouquet.
5. Turn down the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 1 more hour. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.
6. Set the oven at 400. Ladle the soup into the bowls or crocks. Arrange 2 slices of baguette on top of each, and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Set the bowls on a rimmed baking sheet. Cook the cheese until the top forms a golden crust.

Published in The Boston Globe: December 6, 2006

Kol Nidre Evening. 4:47. One unwieldy turkey worth of congealed refrigerated drippings. 13 minutes to make something happen. So who am I gonna call? MYTHBUSTERS! Incorrect. I mean I thought it was obvious. Who else do you turn to…? Barefoot Contessa. I have to say she’s basically genius. I mean with some onions, butter, flour, chicken broth and cream, I had some kicking gravy in 13 minutes. It was delish.

Ingredients

Makes 1 cup

• 3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled, end trimmed
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided into 3 tbsp + 2 tbsp
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more if needed)
• salt & pepper for seasoning

How-To

Toast Garlic & Pine Nuts

1. Place the garlic cloves in a small pan over medium heat and toast for 3-4 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until light brown. Remove from pan, and set aside to cool
2. Turn off the heat and immediately place the pine nuts in the still hot pan from the garlic and toss about 2-3 minutes until golden brown

Blend Ingredients

1. Place basil, pine nuts, garlic and 3 tbsp of cheese in the bowl of a food processor
2. Pulse and stream in olive oil until the desired consistency is reached (a thick paste is usually what you’re looking for). Scrape down sides of food processor if necessary to be certain all ingredients have been blended
3. Season with salt and pepper and blend just a couple of seconds to incorporate
   Remove pesto from food processor. Fold in the remaining 2 tbsp of cheese. Adjust oil, salt and pepper to taste and it’s ready to serve

Photo and video courtesy of  www.how2heroes.com

Ingredients:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup light cream

Let all the ingredients melt together in a small, heavy pot and stir with a wisk for 2 minutes. Don’t let it get too hot. Pour into a pitcher and serve with warm profiteroles and vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

• 6 shallots, sliced thinly
• 3 yellow onions, sliced thinly
• 2 red onions sliced thinly
• 1 white onion sliced thinly
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup good white wine
• 5 cups good beef stock
• 3 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
• 1 crusty baguette cut into thin slices

How-To

1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot and add the onions. Caramelize for 1 hour. Sprinkle onions with the flour, and add bay leaves and beef stock, water and wine.
2. Let soup cook for 1 more hour. Taste, and add salt and pepper. (add more water if necessary.) Add a little kitchen bouquet for color.
3. Preheat oven to 400. Ladle the soup into crocks, put two slices of baguette in each crock, and sprinkle with cheese. Cook until a golden brown crust forms on top, gratinee, and serve immediately.