Onion soup

Being a student, I am the Queen of soups. Fast, tasty and healthy. Together with fresh baguette, crackers or toast with butter - such a yumm!

Recently, I even got this super idea to freeze my soups, so I could cook more and, in addition, change them frequently without spending time for cooking. Just freeze your soup in portions (2-3 meals) and pick any you like that particular day.

This one was originally taken from classic French recipe, modified according to what my fridge had contained at that time. And then adjusted dozen of times, so at some point I started to have doubts about its canonic presentation. Well, still tastes good and goes perfect with some roasted whole-grain bread slices with cheddar cheese. Don't forget to butter them up generously.

Everyone knows that best soups are cooked on stocks. You can use either chicken or vegetable stock, purchased or homemade. Feel the freedom.




Ingredients:

for vegetable stock:

• half of one leek (both parts)
• 1 big carrot
• 2 medium tomatoes (whole)
• 1 medium onion (unpeeled if organic)
• 3-4 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• salt
• pepper
• pinch of nutmeg

for soup:

• 5 medium-sized onions
• 1 carrot
• half of one leek (no green parts)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25 g butter
• 3-4 tbsp flour (any)

Procedure:

1. Start with the stock. For 3 liters of water, add vegetables, bring to boil, turn off the heat to minimum and simmer for and hour or so.
2. Heat a frying pan, add olive oil, butter.
3. Cut onions in cubes finely, add to the pan.
4. Slice leek, add to the rest of the onions. 
5. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
6. Fry the onion mix until golden.
7. Add the flour (one spoon at a time) steering constantly, so the flour coats onions and make them crisp absorbing the oil.
8. Cut carrot in cubes.
9. Remove vegetables from the stock, add fried onions and carrots.
10. Steer thoroughly, bring to boil, turn off the heat to minimum and boil until carrots are easy to penetrate with the knife.
11. While finishing the soup, pre-heat the oven.
12. Butter bread slices, sprinkle some grated cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese softens.

Estimated preparation time: 10 minutes

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Notes: Boil the soup once in 2 days if stays in the fridge for too long, or freeze the extra amount for later.