French Onion Pizza Au Gratin Food

SWISS CHARD AU GRATIN FRENCH BREAD PIZZAS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the stems from the chard but keep the leaves whole. Add the chard to the boiling water (the pot will be packed at first) and cook for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cool water. Drain again, then wrap the chard in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove the excess water. Chop the chard.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Stir in 1/3 cup Roasted Garlic Paste.
• Spread half the chard in the bottom of a medium casserole dish. Top with half the garlic sauce and half the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and turn on the broiler.
• Halve the bread lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise to make four 12-inch-long pieces. Broil the bread, cut-side up, until charred, about 1 minute. Slather with the remaining Roasted Garlic Paste and top each piece with one-quarter of the chard au gratin. Cut each pizza in half and serve.
• The unbaked chard au gratin can covered be and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Bring to room temperature, then bake as directed.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the garlic in a cluster on a large piece of foil and drizzle with 1/4 cup EVOO. Wrap up the garlic in the foil to make a tightly sealed pouch. Roast until very tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze the garlic from the skins into a food processor. Add the remaining 3/4 cup EVOO and the honey and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, then transfer to a small container. (Alternatively, you can mash the garlic paste with a fork instead of using a food processor.)

BAKED ONIONS AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Saute onions in butter.
• Place onions in a 9 x 13 casserole dish with a slotted spoon.
• Stir in heavy whipping cream, white wine, and black pepper. Mix well.
• Top with cheeses.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

FRENCH ONION SOUP TOPPED FRENCH BREAD PIZZAS AND SALAD WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the pizzas: Heat the butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the thyme, onions and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook low and slow until deep caramel in color and very sweet, 35 to 40 minutes. Deglaze with the sherry, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Stir in the consomme.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toast the bread in the oven. Top with the onion mixture and the cheeses. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
• For the salad: Combine the vinegar, honey, lemon juice and shallost in a large bowl and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the mustard and then the EVOO; season with salt and pepper. Add the greens and toss to coat with the dressing.
• Serve the pizzas with the salad.
• Cook's Note: The onion topping can be covered and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Reheat with a splash of water to loosen.

FRENCH ONION SOUP POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• For the caramelized onions: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once melted and bubbling, add a large handful of the onions and cook until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat until all the onions have been added. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn medium brown, about 30 minutes. If the onions start to get too dark, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of beef stock as necessary. Add the sherry to deglaze the pan. Add the mustard and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• For the potato gratin: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices. Do your best to keep the potatoes in a stack--this will make it easier to layer them in the pan. Set the potatoes aside.
• Use the reserved butter wrapper to lightly grease the bottom and sides of a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet. Discard the wrapper.
• Arrange a thin shingled layer of potatoes in concentric circles around the skillet. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, then arrange an even layer of caramelized onions on top of the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the Gruyere and mozzarella and reserve half for later use. Sprinkle on a layer of the remaining cheese mixture over the onions. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients (not including the reserved cheese) have been used. Press down firmly on the layers to flatten.
• In a large bowl or measuring cup, combine the heavy cream and beef stock and pour over the gratin. Cover the skillet with foil and place on a sheet pan. Bake the potatoes, covered, until the top and edges have begun to brown and the potatoes are tender, 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 minutes. You can test by inserting a knife into the potatoes; if it goes in and comes out without resistance, then the potatoes are done.
• Remove the skillet from the oven, remove the foil and turn the broiler on high. Combine the croutons and French fried onions. Cover the gratin with a layer of the crouton mixture followed by the remaining cheese. Broil until golden brown and bubbly, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH CROUTONS AU GRATIN

Steps:

• I a medium sauscepan, melt butter over medium-low heat; sauté mushrooms, onion and thyme, if using for 10-12 minutes or until lightly csaramelized.
• Stir in flour to absorb butter; slowly stir in cream, Increase heat to high, sitr in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until flavours are blended. (to make ahead, prepare the soup up to this point, let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Reheat gently until hot and proceed as follows).
• Lightly toast baguette slices in a toaster; set aside. Preheat broiler. Place ovenproof soup bowls on baking sheet and ladle soup into bowls. Top each bowl with two baguette slices and sprinkle with Gruyère and blue cheeses. Broil for about 2 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Place bowls on serving plates with chopped chives. Be sure to warn your guests the bowl is ultra hot.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• In 3-quart pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir onions and garlic in oil until onions start to become limp; reduce heat to medium-low and stir frequently until onions are very soft and browned, 40 to 45 minutes.
• If onions start to stick to the pan, reduce heat further and stir in 2 tablespoons water.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

FRENCH FRIED ONIONS

Steps:

• Soak onions in milk for 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and salt. Add a handful of onions and toss to coat. Remove and repeat with remaining onions, one handful at a time.
• Heat oil in a large skillet or deep fryer. Fry onion in batches, stirring as needed, until evenly browned, 2 to 3 minutes each. Drain on paper towels and season with more salt. Store in an airtight container.

JACQUES PEPIN'S ONION SOUP GRATINEE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium high heat for about eight minutes or until they are lightly browned.
• Add stock, salt and pepper (if your stock is salted, do not add additional salt) and boil gently for about 15 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
• Toast the baguette slices in the oven.
• Place one or two slices of baguette in the bottom of each of four ovenproof crocks.
• Add 1/4 cup of grated cheese to each crock and place the crocks on a cookie sheet.
• Ladle the onion and stock mixture into the crocks.
• Top with the remaining grated cheese, pressing some of the cheese against the lip of each crock.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until cheese is beautifully browned.
• In the last few moments, place the remaining baguette slices in the oven to warm.
• Serve the soup immediately with the toasted slices of baguette.