Autumn Continued
Since the Paper Chef competition, I have proclaimed the southern Louisiana Autumn officially here. No matter that it got just a teeny bit warmer that is usual for a crisp, cool season today–the air has that fall edge to it now, and I refuse to go back to wearing flip flops and pretending like the season isn’t changing.
It is with that spirit that I approached the rest of this week’s menu. One of the first meals I love to make when it cools off is a hearty soup with homemade bread. Traditional Wisconsin cheese soup is made any number of ways with varying vegetables and spices, but the key ingredient is good cheddar cheese. I combined that idea with French Onion soup and made some cheesy bread to go with it. I used leftover zucchini in the bread to give it some extra texture, but I’m not going to list that in the recipe because all the zucchini did was make the bread mushy–I won’t do that again. The jalapenos were a good choice, though; they give the bread just the right amount of spice and combine with the basil to lend a hint of freshness.
The soup was delicious fall fare–rich and savory and chock full of onions and cheddar cheese. When I was a kid, I spent weeks of the summer at my Aunt Emily’s house. She fed me terribly decadent food–Butterfingers by the fistful–and I have this vivid memory of sitting at her kitchen counter with a bowlful of melted cheddar cheese for breakfast. Also as a kid, I loved to order French Onion soup at restaurants because they brought it to you with this huge layer of cheese on top. This soup is my attempt to merge those two memories. It’s quick and easy too (back to the daily grind for me, alas!)
Here are the recipes:
Spicy Beer Bread
This recipe is very similar to the Cheese and Beer Bread in Better Homes and Gardens
2 1/2 cups flour
1 T. sugar
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. Kosher salt
1 T. freshly chopped basil leaves
12 ounces beer
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 or 2 jalapenos, chopped (and seeded if you don’t like things too spicy)
Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, including the basil. Mix in the beer, cheese, and pepper, and stir until just combined. Pour into a greased bread pan. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the outside is beginning to crisp and brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cheesy French Onion Soup
2 large sweet yellow onions (Vidalia if you can get them), chopped
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 t. Kosher salt
14 1/2 ounces chicken broth
12 ounces beer (I used Abita Golden)
Good cheddar cheese, grated
Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and cook until brown and tender, about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the liquids. Stir in the cheese (this quantity is really up to you, depending on how cheesy you want your soup. I used about 6 ounces) until it melts. Simmer over low until the bread finishes baking. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika (I was a little heavy-handed with mine, as you can see from the photo!) Happy Fall!