O. M. G. This is so good, it’s downright naughty! You know on my FAQ page where I said that when I cheat, I make sure it’s worth every morsel? This is a perfect example. In fact, with this recipe, I fell so hard off the wagon that I left 25 feet of skid marks on the road before landing upside down in a ditch.
Cheese. Bread. Butter.
My dietary demons. All rolled into one sinfully delicious dish! I don’t know what possessed me to make this, but I’m making no apologies. (Actually, I wimped out and used olive oil instead of butter – like that would somehow lessen my guilt. Take my advice: if you’re going to do this, do it with gusto.)
I could have used a nice light and fluffy French baguette for the croutons, but no. I haven’t had bread in ages, so I used my favorite – sourdough. It’s meaty and rustic. Real stick-to-your ribs stuff, especially when you douse it with olive oil and Gruyere.
I debated whether to add the mushrooms, but seeing as I have 2 pounds of them in fridge, it was a matter of practicality. I need to use them up. And I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I think I like this preparation better than with just the traditional caramelized onions.
When we have dinner parties, my husband’s creations take center stage as he is the true chef in the house. I get relegated to salad duty. However, he said this is so good that I’m allowed to make it for our next soiree. The highest form of praise, indeed!
Ingredients (serves 4 – 6)
4 medium sweet white or yellow onions – sliced into thin half moons
1 pound mushrooms (I used cremini) – sliced
1 qt. vegetable stock
½ lb. Gruyere – grated (about ¼ cup grated per bowl)
6-7 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or cooking oil of your choice) — or butter if you prefer
1 heaping tsp. herb de provence – crushed with your fingers
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Croutons
1 loaf sourdough (or French baguette) – cut into 1 inch thick slices (1 slice per bowl)
4 garlic cloves – minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried thyme
dash of salt
Directions
- Clean and slice the mushrooms first and set aside.
- Cut the onions. In a soup pot, sauté the onions in 3-4 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until caramelized – about 25 minutes. I let them cook with a lid on and check every 5 minutes. As they start to stick to the bottom of the pan, stir until the stickiness is mixed in to prevent burning. If they do burn, use a small amount of white or red wine to deglaze the pan. When fully cooked, they will have a caramel color and will reduce to about half their size when raw.
- While onions are cooking, sauté the mushrooms with salt & pepper in a skillet with 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat. They will shrink down to about half their original size.
- While the onions and mushrooms are cooking, prepare the topping for the bread by combining the oil, spices, garlic and salt in a small food processor and pulse until well chopped (or do this by hand). Cut the bread into slices and lay out on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the oil mixture liberally over the bread. Place under broiler (place rack on the highest ledge) for about 3-5 minutes until bread is toasted and oil mixture has soaked into the bread. Allow the bread to cool completely before cutting into 1-inch croutons.
- After the onions are cooked, add the broth, mushrooms and herb de provence to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to simmer. Let cook for another 10 minutes. Salt & pepper to taste.
- Using oven-proof containers, fill bowls ¾ full with soup. Place as many croutons on top as you can cram in – the more the better! Sprinkle grated Gruyere liberally over the croutons. Move oven rack to the second highest ledge. Place bowls on a baking sheet and broil until cheese is melted, bubbling and starting to brown – about 5 minutes. Keep your eye on this and check frequently because once it starts to brown, it can end up burning very quickly (been there, done that).
- Using oven mitts, place bowls onto serving plates. Serve hot immediately.
cheri says
This is so amazing! Just pinned. Perfect for a party as it is such a showstopper. Love the combination.
Amy says
Thanks for the pin, Cheri. Much appreciated!