Beef And Balsamic Roasted Onion Soup Food

FRENCH ONION SOUP: THE COOK'S ILLUSTRATED WAY

Steps:

• For the soup:.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400°. Generously spray inside of heavy-bottomed large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place butter in pot and add onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, 1 hour (onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume).
• Remove pot from oven and stir onions, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.
• Carefully remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat.
• Using oven mitts to handle pot, cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing heat to medium if onions are browning too quickly.
• Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until pot bottom is coated with dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. (Scrape any fond that collects on spoon back into onions.)
• Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown.
• Stir in wine and balsamic vinegar, stirring frequently, until wine evaporates, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in broths, 2 cups water, the thyme, bay leaf and parsley (tied with twine or wrapped in cheese cloth for easy removal from pot) and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot.
• Increase heat to high and bring to simmer.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
• For the croutons: While soup simmers, arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in 400-degree oven until bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• To serve: Adjust oven rack 4 to 6 inches from broiler and heat broiler.
• Set heat-safe soup bowls or crocks on rimmed baking sheet and fill each with about 1 1/2 cups soup.
• Top each bowl with two toasted baguette slices (try not to overlap) and divide Swiss cheese slices, laying them in a single layer, if possible, on bread.
• Sprinkle each serving with about 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese and broil until well browned and bubbly, 7 to 10 minutes.
• If using regular soup bowls, broil the toasts and the cheese only and then place the toasts on top of the soup.
• Cool 5 minutes and serve.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add in the onions and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium, stir in the salt and sugar; cook for another 35 minutes, stirring occasionally (every 5 minutes or so), until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
• Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom and sides.
• Add in the beef broth, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf.
• Gently simmer over medium/medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove and discard the herbs.
• Mix in vinegar and taste. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Reduce heat to low, cover to keep hot while you prepare the bread.
• Preheat oven broiler, with rack 6 inches from the heat source. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides with the olive oil. Broil 2-3 minutes, flipping once, until well toasted on both sides. (NOTE: keep an eye on the bread the entire time to ensure it doesn't burn. Every oven is different.) Remove from heat; leave broiler on.
• Arrange oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, and sprinkle with the Swiss, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.
• Broil until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will fall over the sides of the crock and form a wonderful crusty seal.
• Serve and enjoy!

BRAISED BEEF BRISKET WITH ONIONS, MUSHROOMS, AND BALSAMIC

Steps:

• Coat a large roasting pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the brisket generously with salt. Add the brisket to the pan and brown well on both sides. Remove the brisket from the pan and reserve.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lower the heat to medium, ditch the excess oil, and add the bacon and reserved skin to the pan with a little more oil. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and has let out a lot of fat. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and cook until they are very soft and aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and wilted. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce it by half. Taste it - it will be very vinegary, but that's ok, don't worry. Season with salt, if needed. Lay the brisket on top of the veggie mix and add the chicken stock to the pan until it just covers the brisket. Add the bay leaves and thyme.
• Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven. Roast for 1 hour, check the brisket, and turn it over. Add more stock if the liquid level has reduced. Cover the pan again and return it to the oven for another hour. Remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes more.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Skim off any excess fat from the cooking liquid. If the vegetables are swimming in liquid, reduce the liquid on the stovetop over medium-high heat. You want the sauce to be soupy. Taste the liquid and re-season if needed. Slice the brisket against the grain on the bias. Serve topped with the onion-mushroom mixture and sprinkle with chopped chives.

BEEF AND BALSAMIC ROASTED ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate.
• Add wine to the pot and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom. Return beef and any juices to the pan. Add stock and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and summer 1 ½ to 2 hours, until beef is tender.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. On baking sheet, combine onions, oil and salt and pepper to taste; toss to coat and spread in a single layer. Roast 45-50 minutes.
• Drizzle with 3 tablespoons vinegar and roast, stirring occasionally, until onions are dark brown and glazed, 10-15 minutes.
• Remove beef from pot and tear into shreds with two forks. Discard any fat or gristle. Return to pot and add roasted onions, cream and remaining vinegar.
• Simmer 5 minutes. Do not boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

BALSAMIC ROASTED ONIONS

Steps:

• Cut ends off onions, leaving stem and core intact. Quarter onions through core and peel away skin.
• Place onions in a large resealable bag with balsamic dressing, tarragon, and garlic. Squeeze out air and seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours, turning occasionally.
• Remove onions from refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting and bring to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking pan with olive oil cooking spray.
• Place onions cut side up in prepared baking pan and pour marinade over top. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
• Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until fork tender. (If onions begin to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.)

BALSAMIC ROASTED BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
• Place the beef on the sheet pan. Combine the mustard, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on the filet and brush it evenly over the top and sides. Sprinkle the cracked pepper evenly all over the meat.
• Roast the filet for 30 minutes exactly for medium-rare (25 minutes for rare and 35 minutes for medium). Remove the pan from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow the beef to rest on the pan for 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot or warm.
• Note: This recipe was doubled for this episode.

BALSAMIC ROASTED ONIONS

Steps:

• Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 500°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil. Cut onions through root end into 3/4-inch-thick wedges. Place in medium bowl; toss with oil. Arrange onions, cut side down, on baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until onions are brown and tender, rotating pans in oven and turning onions once, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add vinegar. Return to heat. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. (Onions and balsamic glaze can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover separately and chill. Rewarm onions in 375°F oven about 15 minutes. Stir glaze over low heat to rewarm.)
• Arrange onions on platter. Drizzle glaze over. Sprinkle with parsley.

RICH ONION BEEF SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook onions in butter over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add beef and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes., In a small bowl, combine the flour, mustard and sugar; stir in wine or additional broth and browning sauce until smooth. Stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

BALSAMIC-ROASTED ONIONS

Steps:

• Slice about 1/4-inch from top and bottom of each onion. Peel onions, removing outer layer of flesh as well. Score onions about 3/4 of the way down, cutting at 1/4-inch intervals in a crisscross pattern. Place onions in a bowl of ice water for 2 to 4 hours, until cut area looks ruffled. Drain upside down 10 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place onions in a baking dish that holds them closely.
• Beat vinegar and honey together, and season with salt and pepper. Brush over onions. Dot each with butter. Pour cider into baking dish. Cover dish with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and baste with pan juices. Bake uncovered 30 minutes more, basting every 10 minutes. Baste again and serve.

BEEF AND ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a big soup pot over medium-high heat, let the oil get warm.
• Add in beef cubes; stir/sauté for 5 minutes or until meat is browned on all sides; transfer beef cubes to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; add in butter and onions; sauté/toss for about 6-7 minutes or until onions are slightly limp.
• Add in beef stock, mustard, wine, salt, and pepper; stir to combine.
• Return beef cubes to pot.
• Bring to a boil, decrease heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add in parsley; stir to combine; adjust seasoning to taste.
• Ladle soup into individual bowls; sprinkle cheese over the top.