Tuscan White Onion Soup With Crostini Food

TUSCAN ONION SOUP (CARABACCIA)

Steps:

• Trim ends off onions; halve and peel. Cut onions into thin slices lengthwise along the grain.
• Heat olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and kosher salt. Cook and stir until starting to turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and sweet, about 1 hour.
• Add sage leaves, pepper, cinnamon, and almonds to the onions. Cook and stir until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a soup pot. Pour in red wine vinegar and broth. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place Italian bread on the baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over the bread; sprinkle sliced sage and some Parmesan cheese on top.
• Toast in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls and top each with a piece of toast. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the toast and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top. Dunk toast into the soup and let soak for a few minutes before serving.

TUSCAN ONION SOUP (CARABACCIA)

Steps:

• Purée pancetta, celery, garlic and carrots in a food processor until mixture is a coarse paste.
• In an eight-quart pan, heat 1/3 cup olive oil, rosemary and sage over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add paste, turn heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes. Add white wine, and simmer 10 minutes more.
• Add onions, salt and red pepper, and sauté over low heat, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and some have turned golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Add balsamic vinegar and stock, and simmer 25 minutes over low heat. Add spice mixture and peas, and cook 5 minutes more. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• While soup simmers, bring 2 cups water and the white wine vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat until no bubbles break surface of water. Crack two eggs into water, and cook 4 minutes. Gently spoon eggs out of water, and reserve in a shallow dish with water in it. Bring water back to a boil, and repeat process until all the eggs are poached.
• Lightly toast bread. Brush each slice with olive oil, and sprinkle with two teaspoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Toast again or broil until cheese has melted, about two minutes.
• Lay a slice of toast in each of six deep soup bowls, and top with a poached egg. Ladle soup over egg, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and serve.

ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Thinly slice the onions. Heat a 6-quart stockpot. Add the oil and heat. Add the onions and saute until golden brown over medium-low heat, about 25 to 30 minutes. Deglaze the pan with port. Add stock, salt, pepper, and bouquet garni, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Pour the soup into 6 oven-proof bowls. Top each bowl with 2 slices of bread and sprinkle with the cheese. Brown under the broiler until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, stir to combine with the butter, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover; increase the heat to medium-high and cook, until the onions are brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes. (Stir the onions frequently toward the end of this stage in the cooking, so they do not scorch or burn.) Add the thyme and garlic, saute for 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon; simmer until the wine is reduced by about half. Stir in the broth and salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Add the Cognac, if using, and season with pepper to taste. (The soup can be made to this point a day ahead and refrigerated.) When ready to serve preheat the broiler. Heat the soup and divide it evenly among 6 heatproof crocks or bowls. Top each soup with a slice of the bread and about 1/2 cup of the cheese. Place the bowls on a sheet pan and broil until the cheese is bubbly and brown. Carefully transfer each crock to an under-lining plate. Serve immediately.

HEARTY TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 4 quart soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and thyme and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and bay leaf.
• Drain the beans and roughly mash 1/2 a can of beans. Add the beans and mashed beans to the pot.
• Squeeze the water from the thawed spinach and add to the pot.
• Season with salt and pepper and simmer for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
• Add the macaroni and cook until tender according to package directions. (About 10 minutes.).
• Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan and/or pecorino romano.

TUSCAN ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Dry fry the pancetta in a large saucepan for 3-4 minutes until it begins to brown.
• Remove the pancetta and set aside until required Add the oil and to the pan and cook the onions and garlic over high heat for 4 minutes.
• Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes until the onions are lightly caramelized Add the stock to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and leave the mixture to simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes Toast the slices of bread on both sides, under a preheated broiler, for 2-3 minutes or until golden.
• Spread the ciabatta with butter and top with the Gruyere or Cheddar cheese.
• Cut the bread into bite sized pieces Add the reserved pancetta back to the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour into bowls and top with the toasted bread.

TUSCAN ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Saute pancetta in a large sauce pan over medium heat until it starts to brown, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Add the oil and onions and cook over high heat 4 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until onions are soft and golden brown.
• Add chicken broth, parsley, salt and pepper bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
• While soup is cooking, heat broiler and toast bread on both sides.
• Butter one side of the toast, sprinkle with cheese and cut into bite size pieces.
• To serve, add pancetta, ladle into 4 soup bowls and top with the toasted cheese croutons.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• Combine beans, bell pepper and onion in large bowl.
• Whisk together vinegar, parsley, oil, garlic, oregano and black pepper in small bowl.
• Pour over bean mixture; toss to coat.
• Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Arrange bread slices in single layer on large nonstick baking sheet or broiler pan.
• Broil, 6 to 8 inches from heat, 30 to 45 seconds or until bread slices are lightly toasted.
• Remove; cool completely.
• Top each toasted bread slice with about 3 T. bean mixture.