Day 155 | Friday, 21 August 2020

Day 155 - Audio Version

Day 155 |  Friday, 21 August 2020

From the Church Mouse
Today is Foodie Friday, so please let me introduce you to the lowly, and often misunderstood onion. Though all vegetables are important for health, certain kinds offer unique benefits. Onions are members of the Allium genus of flowering plants that also includes garlic, shallots, leeks and chives. These vegetables contain various vitamins, minerals and potent plant compounds that have been shown to promote health in many ways. In fact, the medicinal properties of onions have been recognized since ancient times, when they were used to treat ailments like headaches, heart disease and mouth sores.

Here are 9 impressive health benefits of onions:

1. Packed with Nutrients
2. May Benefit Heart Health
3. Loaded with Antioxidants
4. Contain Cancer-Fighting Compounds
5. Help Control Blood Sugar
6. May Boost Bone Density 
7. Have Antibacterial Properties
8. May Boost Digestive Health
9. Easy to Add to Your Diet.

 
Now for my favorite onion recipe: Restaurant-Style French Onion Soup    
Classic French onion soup, similar to one you can get in a restaurant. Made with wine and sherry to bring out the beef flavor of the broth. Two different cheeses top it off to give it that bubbly, browned, and stretchy topping.

Prep: 20 mins      Cook: 1 hr 15 mins      Total: 1 hr 35 mins      
Servings: 6      Yield:  6 servings

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter;  

• 8 sweet onions, sliced; 
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste;
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme;
• 1 cup red wine;
• 1 tablespoon sherry;
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 quarts beef broth;
• 1 French baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed;
• 6 slices Swiss cheese;
• 6 slices provolone cheese

Instructions:
 Step 1
Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, and thyme until onions are soft and brown, about 30 minutes. Pour in red wine and sherry; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until you can no longer smell alcohol cooking off, about 15 more minutes.

 Step 2
Sprinkle onion mixture with flour and stir until coated; cook for 10 minutes. Pour in broth, stir to blend in flour, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) while soup is simmering. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

Step 4
Toast the baguette slices in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, turning the bread over halfway through cooking. Remove toast and set aside. 

Step 5
Set an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and turn on the oven's broiler.

Step 6
Ladle soup into 6 oven-proof crocks, filling them about 3/4 full. Place 1 or 2 bread slices into the bowls and top each with a slice of Swiss cheese and a slice of provolone. Carefully place filled crocks onto a sturdy baking sheet.

Step 7
Broil soup until the cheese is browned and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

Cook's Note:
Use a slicer attachment of the food processor to make easy work of slicing onions. Purchase day-old bread, then slice and bake ahead of time, keep in a resealable bag.

​Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
792.4 calories; protein 31.3g 63% DV; carbohydrates 77.2g 25% DV; fat 37.7g 58% DV; cholesterol 86.3mg 29% DV; sodium 2169.7mg 87% DV.
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