French Onion Soup

RECIPE

Yield
8 servings

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups thinly vertically sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion
4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups less-sodium beef broth
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
8 (1-ounce) slices French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)

Preparation
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.

Preheat broiler.

Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.

Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Nutritional Information
Calories:290 (30% from fat)
Fat:9.6g (sat 4.8g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:16.8g
Carbohydrate:33.4g
Fiber:3.1g
Cholesterol:20mg
Iron:1.6mg
Sodium:359mg
Calcium:317mg

French cooking@home
by cooking mania

French Onion Rib Eye Steak

RECIPE

You can prepare the French onions up to 1 day ahead or start them just before the steak.

Yield
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 fat-trimmed beef rib eye steak (cut 2 in. thick, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon each kosher or coarse salt, cracked pepper, dried onion flakes, and dried garlic flakes
1 teaspoon olive oil
French onions
1/2 cup shredded gruyère or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup fat-skimmed beef broth

Preparation
1. Rinse beef steak and pat dry. Pat salt, pepper, onion flakes, and garlic flakes evenly onto meat.

2. Pour olive oil into an 8- to 10-inch ovenproof nonstick frying pan over high heat; tilt to coat pan bottom. When hot, add steak and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Supporting meat with tongs, tip steak onto its edge and rotate to brown lightly, about 2 minutes total. As fat in pan accumulates, wipe out with paper towels.

3. Put pan with steak in a 400° regular or convection oven and bake until meat is done to your taste (cut to test), 8 to 12 minutes for rare or about 25 minutes for well done.

4. Turn oven heat to broil. Remove pan and wipe out fat with a paper towel. Mound French onions onto meat and sprinkle with cheese. Broil in pan about 6 inches from heat until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from oven and pour broth around meat, stirring to release browned bits.

5. Leave meat in pan or use a wide spatula to transfer steak and onions to a warm rimmed platter (pour juices around meat). To serve, cut meat and onions into 4 equal portions; set each on a rimmed plate and spoon juices around meat.

Nutritional Information
Calories:302 (51% from fat)
Protein:33g
Fat:17g (sat 7.4)
Carbohydrate:0.6g
Fiber:0.1g
Sodium:329mg
Cholesterol:99mg

French cooking@home
by cooking mania

French-Style Stuffed Eggs

RECIPE

If you plan to dye Easter eggs, cook extras for this dish. Stuffed eggs are often served warm in France, and this recipe is similar to one from the Périgord region.

Yield
16 servings (serving size: 1 egg half)

Ingredients
8 large eggs
1/3 cup minced reduced-fat ham
1 tablespoon minced green onions
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (1-ounce) slices white bread, torn into large pieces
Cooking spray
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Preparation
Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 1 inch above eggs; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 12 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water until cool.

Peel eggs; slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; discard 4 yolks. Place remaining 4 yolks in a medium bowl. Add ham and next 7 ingredients (through pepper); stir until combined.

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon yolk mixture into each egg white half. Top each half with 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs. Coat breadcrumbs with cooking spray.

Preheat broiler.

Place eggs on a baking sheet; broil 1 minute or until breadcrumbs are toasted. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories:38 (38% from fat)
Fat:1.6g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.2g)
Protein:3.3g
Carbohydrate:2.3g
Fiber:0.1g
Cholesterol:54mg
Iron:0.4mg
Sodium:127mg
Calcium:14mg

French cooking@home
by cooking mania

French Onion Soup with Beef and Barley

Yield
6 servings

Ingredients
1 cup boiling water
1/2 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided
2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped shallots or onion
2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 (12-ounce) lean boneless sirloin steak, cut into 2-inch strips
4 cups water
2/3 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can beef consommé
12 (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Preparation
Combine boiling water and shiitakes in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain the shiitakes in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Slice shiitakes, discarding stems.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, shallots, ginger, and garlic; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the shiitakes, button mushrooms, sugar, and beef. Sauté 10 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add reserved mushroom liquid, 4 cups water, and the next 4 ingredients (water through consommé); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes or until barley is tender. Stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

Preheat broiler.

Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 ovenproof soup bowls; top each serving with 2 bread slices and 2 tablespoons cheese. Broil 3 inches from heat 1 minute or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Note: This soup will freeze well for up to two months. Pour into an airtight container, leaving enough room for expansion (usually an inch or two at the top). To reheat, thaw completely in the refrigerator; then place contents in a saucepan over low heat, adding some liquid if necessary.

Nutritional Information
Calories:351 (27% from fat)
Fat:10.7g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.7g)
Protein:24.6g
Carbohydrate:40g
Fiber:6.2g
Cholesterol:50mg
Iron:3.7mg
Sodium:676mg
Calcium:196mg

French cooking@home
by cooking mania