The Beatles – Glass Onion Soup

CLASSIC ROCK BANDS RECIPE #9

THE BEATLES

GLASS ONION SOUP

 

Was there ever a doubt I was saving The Beatles for “Number 9”?  And for this week’s entry we borrow the title from another track from The White Album.  What I have in mind for this idea really could belong to an upcoming series, I promise, for cross-cultural cuisine as I’m taking aspects from classic French onion soup sans the croutons and melted Gruyere cheese and Japanese clear soup that sushi lovers have come to enjoy as an appetizer.  The result is a very delicious and healthy recipe that I think you will enjoy.

The Beatles mean so many different things to so many people.  They defined a generation.  They are and always will be the most iconic group of all time.  I was born when The Beatles were at their height so it is impossible for me to relate to this but as a child of the seventies their legend continued to linger and with all members of The Fab Four still alive and producing new music they were still very familiar.  Even today The Beatles prove that all glory is not fleeting as their music still is a very important part of our culture and existence.

This soup is more of what the French call a consommé meaning it is made from stock.  I strongly urge you to make your own stock for this recipe rather than skip this step and purchase vegetable stock or broth from your grocer.  But if you don’t have the time you can move on to making the soup.  To make the stock you should use mainly root vegetables that you may have lying in the crisper for a few days that you are not sure what to do with.  Carrots, celery, turnips, leeks, etc. can all be used and substituted for what I’ve included as can the herbs.   This is a very simple recipe for feel good food just like every time a Beatles song comes on the radio or TV it’s all smiles.

 

THE RECIPE

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the Vegetable Stock:

3 TBSP Olive Oil

2 Carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

3 Celery stalks, ends cut off and cut into chunks

1 Leek, green and white parts roughly chopped

1 Yellow Onion, peeled and cut into chunks

4 Garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 small bunch of Italian Parsley leaves

6 Thyme sprigs

1 TBSP fresh Oregano leaves or ½ TBSP dried Oregano

5 quarts of Water

2 Bay leaves

Salt, to taste

Ground Black Pepper, to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large stockpot heat the Olive Oil on medium
2. Add the Carrots, Celery, Leek, Onion, and Garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add a little Salt and Pepper to the Vegetables while they cook.
3. Add the Parsley, Thyme and Oregano and sauté for another minute.
4. Fill the pot with the Water and bring to a boil
5. Once boiling reduce heat to a simmer and add the Bay Leaves, Salt, and Pepper. Let simmer gently for about 2 ½ hours.
6. When the pot is cool enough to handle strain the liquid into another pot or container. Press down hard on the herbs and vegetables to squeeze out as much liquid as you can.  This is where the best flavor exists.
7. Discard all the herbs and vegetables
8. Let the Stock sit while you start the soup

 

For the Onion Soup:

1 Large Vidalia or Maui Sweet Onion, sliced thin

2 TBSP Olive Oil

2 TBSP Butter

Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

½ cup Dry Vermouth or White Wine

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a 3-qt sauce pan heat the Olive Oil and Butter over very low heat
2. Add the sliced Onions and season with Salt and Pepper
3. Sauté over very low heat allowing the Onions to slowly caramelize. About 15 to 20 minutes.  Do not brown the Onions.
4. Add the Vermouth or Wine and cook an additional 5 minutes till the liquid is reduced by about half
5. Add 2 quarts of the Stock to the pot and raise the heat.
6. Bring the Soup to a gentle simmer. Let simmer an additional 10 minutes to combine flavors.
7. Serve into soup bowls with a ladle. Reserve the remaining Vegetable Stock for another use.

 

WINE PAIRING:  A lot of white wines will work with this soup.  My top choice would be a Riesling from either Germany or Alsace.  Rieslings have a very lot of variety from dry to sweet.  I would stay on the drier side for this recipe and choose a Kabinett or a Spatlese.  I am not a fan of new world Rieslings but that would be a good choice too.  Look for a dry, fruity choice and you won’t go wrong.