Reunion Soup Recipes

THE BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a very large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and light golden-brown, about 1 hour. (The onions will begin to stick to the bottom of the pan and turn brown after about 30 minutes; just keep scraping them up and stirring them into the rest of the onions. If they are browning to quickly, lower the heat.)
• Add the wine to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook until it has almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the beef broth and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until the flavors come together and the soup is rich, about 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Keep the soup warm on a low burner or cool completely and refrigerate to reheat later. (The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
• Preheat the broiler. Place four soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet and fill them about 3/4 of the way with hot soup. Float a slice of baguette on top of each and cover with 1/2 cup Gruyere. Broil until the Gruyere is golden brown (don't be alarmed if some soup bubbles out), 2 to 3 minutes.

REUNION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp.
• Remove and drain bacon on a paper towel. Reserve 1Tablespoon of bacon grease in Dutch oven.
• Add onion,and garlic and saute' for about 1 minute. Stirring constantly.
• Add cabbage, celery, carrot, potato, zucchini and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add bacon back into pot.
• Add remaining ingredients (tomatoes, salt, pepper, chervil, broth, rice, barley, beans) **** EXCEPT white sauce and vinegar, which will be added later.
• Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before serving, make the seasoned white sauce.
• Seasoned White Sauce:.
• In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir until bubbly.
• Whisk in remaining ingredients and stir until thickened, 1 - 2 minutes.
• Sauce will become thick if it stands; DO NOT thin.
• After soup has cooked for 1 1/2 hours, whisk in white sauce and 1 T cider vinegar. Cook for 10 more minutes until flavors are blended.