Onion Soup

Sunday 14 March

The last time we went to Strewn Winery, they gave us a reservation for a tasting and tour with guests. Ally and Dave, John and Lisa, Elizabeth and Justin could all make it. So we looked at casks of ice wine lazily bubbling, the truly scary frozen grape crusher, and had a pleasant tasting.

After a slightly bibulous afternoon, something simple was called for: Sprouty Onion Soup. A 10 lb bag of big-ass onions had done us yeoman's (yo! man!) service. But the last four or so giant onions were beginning to put forth tender scions, so it was time to slice 'em all. The absolutely classic FOS (French Onion Soup) calls for beef broth, but we did a version—more subtle, I think—with chicken stock. OK, we had chicken stock, we didn't have any beef stock, so there. But you're missing the point, which is FOS is all about two things. Number three of two is onions. ONE is butter. Two is Slow. Onions Not browned. So four huge sprouty onions sliced thin. Slow cooked in 3/4 of a stick of butter (yup). Salt to help the onions sweat. Then a wineglassful of white wine. Then a small iceberg of chicken stock. A very little pepper. Resist the temptation of garlic. And then, only then, add a couple of sprigs of thyme, to be fished out before serving. One big crouton of the last slice of olive-oil bread broiled with cheese, cut in half.
Yum.