Five Onion French Onion Soup

The Best French Onion Soup!

This French Onion Soup recipe has Five Different Onions that make the flavor truly unique. Recipes use different onions for different desired effects. Specific colors, for example, derive a bitter or sweet taste and some more bold than others. Generally, the desired onion, represents the flavor you what to be hitting to balance out the other ingredients. So, by combining all of the above, I’m taking this French Onion Soup to a whole new level.

The French Onion Soup Secret

Caramelizing the Onions is where most of the magic happens when you’re making French Onion Soup. So it’s very Critical that you take this seriously. Don’t saute only, to save time, because it won’t turn out the same. Spend a good 20 to 30 minutes to really develop the flavor you would expect from any restaurant that serves a good French Onion Soup. Also, when it comes to the broth, don’t be to picky with it. I mean, it should taste good but I’ve made this soup dozens of times just using Beef Bouillon. I have found that Knorr makes one of the better, cheaper bouillon’s out there because it’s smooth and it isn’t too salty.

Another thing you want to be careful with is the wine. Adding to much will kill this soup off in seconds. The wine takes the soup to a whole new level but use it sparingly. If you follow this advice, you’ll treat your pallet to a little piece of heaven.

French Onion Soup Ingredients:

1/2 sliced White Onion
1/2 sliced Red Onion
1/2 sliced Yellow Onion
1/2 sliced Sweet Onion
1 bunch chopped Green Onion
1 cube Butter
1 tbsp Sugar
1 1/2 qt Beef Broth or Stock (Bouillon is fine)
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp Thyme
1/3 cup Red Wine (you can substitute apple cider)
1 chopped Garlic Clove
Graded Swiss Gruyere
Texas Garlic Toast for soup Bowl Crouton

Heat the Beef Broth in a Soup Pan and add the Bay Leaves, Thyme and Red Wine. In a Skillet, saute the Onions in the melted butter and add the sugar for caramelizing, approximately 20 minutes. Then add the Onions to the broth and Simmer for another 10 to 20 minutes. Place the Texas Garlic Toast in the oven at 425 degrees at bake until the bread is crispy and toasted through and through like Croutons. Grade the Swiss Gruyere and remove Bay leaves from the French Onion Soup. Add one Crouton to a bowl and Ladle the soup over the bread, then add the Gruyere over the top. Place the French Onion Soup in the oven, under a high broil, for just a few minutes, until the cheese melts and bubbles with a nice golden brown tint, then serve.

Dan Dan Noodle

How do you like your Dan Dan Noodle?

The Dan Dan Noodle is originally a Scechwan recipe, which in my opinion translates, “Hot and Spicy”! But the heat can literally be thrown out all together if you’re not really into that much of a kick. This recipe is a perfect example of how I “dumb it down” for my girls. Mostly because the flavor still exists, I just extract the spice so that their little mouths won’t set on fire. But if you want it in there for your self, feel free to throw in some chili flakes or some chili oil to pep it up a bit and you’ll love it. Aso, you need to decide if you want to use Ground Pork or Chicken. In this recipe I’m using Pork but it can very easily be substituted and it won’t change the recipe at all what so ever. In fact, I personally prefer Ground Chicken.

Now, that we’ve covered the basics, all you have to decide now is whether you want the Dan Dan Noodle on a plate or in a bowl as a soup. Just like deciding if you want it spicy or not, it’s just a simple additive of chicken stock if you want it to be a soup. Nothing to it, it’s that simple. On a side note, you can add some peanuts to this dish as well because it gives it a little crunch. I only mention it because you’re going to find that ingredient in other versions of this recipe if you’re doing some investigative research on the Dan Dan Noodle. I think here in America, P.F. Chang’s is ultimately responsible for bringing this dish to light. Other restaurants in the corporate chain like Typhoon’s and the like have added it to their menu as well because it’s a great gourmet Noodle dish.

Dan Dan Noodle Ingredients:

8 oz Noodle
8 oz ground Pork or Chicken
1 chopped Green Onion
2 tbsp chopped Red Bell Pepper
1/2 tsp minced Ginger
2 tbsp Black Bean Garlic Sauce
1 tsp Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 tsp Chili Flakes or Chili Oil (optional)
1 tsp Corn Starch (deluded with 2 tbsp water)

Garnish with Grated Cold Cucumber and Bean Sprouts
If you’re preparing a Dan Dan Noodle soup, just add 1 cup Chicken stock over the top.

Clam Chowder with Bacon

Clam Chowder Anytime!

Bacon Clam Chowder just makes sense, doesn’t it? I know this soup is most appreciated in the colder months of the year, but I just couldn’t resist. Personally I could have it prepared like this anytime and still love it. Also, there’s just something about putting a hot chili or creamy soup in a large toasted bread bowl that just screams, “Let’s Eat”! So if you’ve got this on the menu when I sit down to eat, you know what I’m ordering.

This Clam Chowder, in my opinion, is much more flavorful than standard recipes. The three most important ingredients in this soup that really make it pop are the onions, the clam juice and of course our beloved, Bacon. These ingredients make the Clam Chowder unmistakably delicious. It’s true, the only other vegetable I add are chopped Russet Potatoes, but I find the extra addition of Celery and Carrots aren’t necessary, in order to bring the full color and flavor of this recipe about. Though you are more than welcome to add them if you’d like, it really doesn’t matter. It’s just a personal preference, that’s all. I think you could even get away with adding corn if you wanted to.

Clam Chowder Ingredients:

4 strips of bacon sliced into 1/4 pieces
1/2 Chopped Onion
1 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Butter (Salted or Unsalted)
2 tbsp White Wine (Cooking Wine or Red Wine is fine)
1/2 cup Flour
2 cans of minced clams with juice
1 qt Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Chopped Russet Potatoes (or your favorite)
1 tbsp Black Pepper
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Fresh Chopped Parsley

Absolutely Babysit this soup. It’s very temperamental, in my opinion. On Medium High heat, cook your bacon and onions. Season with a shake of black pepper and add the sugar to help caramelizing the onions. Then add the butter and Cooking Wine. Once that has melted, stir in the flour and almost immediately add the clams. The cream will follow shortly after, a half cup at a time to start, then bring to a light boil, stir and add another half cup. Once half of the quart of cream has been added, you can add the rest all at once. Stir really well, then taste it for seasoning, then add the pepper and your taste for salt. Now the potatoes can go in and you can reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring frequently. It’s very important to keep from burning the bottom. Using a thicker pan will help this tremendously. Once the potatoes are cooked, 10 to 15 minutes, add the parsley and serve your Clam Chowder in a bowl, cup or toasted bread bowl.