French Onion Soup-ish

For dinner, I kind of had French onion soup. Not nearly as deconstructed as this, but almost.

It all started when I tried to make a baguette. I'm still madly in love with the New York Times Cookbook, which I received as a Christmas present. And bread is one of those things I wish I made more often, just because you miss it if you don't have it, and homemade is always best.

So I used the Craig Claiborne/Pierre Franey recipe (couldn't find it online...buy the cookbook, you'll like it. Or borrow mine) for French bread. I used wine yeast, because I happened to have a little lying around. I don't think it really makes a difference though.

It has to be the technique. It's a really simple recipe, and, per usual, I messed with it by using mostly white whole wheat flour instead of white. It still turned out well. I was concerned that the inside was so dense in appearance:

But it turned out perfectly. The dense texture held well when I used it for almond butter & blueberry jam sandwiches at lunch, and was a nice counterpoint to the onion jam at dinner.

Onions?

It was sort of the same confit recipe as before. This time, I measured to make sure I was slicing the onions more or less uniformly at 1/4". My new general rule is to use approximately a tablespoon, or a bit more, of butter per pound of onions. And to cook them very, very slowly. These I removed from heat after 1.5 to 2 hours, when they had barely changed to a light toffee color. I added a little kosher salt toward the beginning, and a little red wine towards the end. This time, I also chose to puree them a bit in the food processor, to yield nicely uniform bits.

To make the "soup", I covered some caramelized onion puree with sliced cubes of bread and shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano and briefly heated it. I can't overstate how awesome slow-cooked onions are- it's pure umami goodness. You don't need to use a ton of butter for a smooth, savory flavor. The bread was also a success, though maybe I'd add a little more water next time- I always forget the white whole wheat flour soaks up more moisture and you have to adjust.

To drink, I had a Dogfish Head "Raison d' Etre". It's becoming one of my local-ish go-to beers for complex, interesting flavors. It has a Belgian feel, with some light banana/clove flavors and heavier 'green' flavors- apple, maybe pear? Unique and interesting and substantial, but it still goes well with most foods.

Completely Obsessed with the Cheese Shop Down the Street

For dinner, I had some red pepper pappardelle with garlic & olive oil, finocchiona, and a 60 Minute IPA to drink.

The meal was a fabulous spur-of-the-moment impulse I had while walking home from the (very far away) metro stop. I was annoyed, thinking about having to drive to the grocery store, when I did a double take and recalled that my friendly local cheese shop sells more than just cheese.

Wine. Cheese. Pasta. Beer. Charcuterie. Bread. Specialty jarred things. Chocolate. Is there a better business plan anywhere? I could move right in. They even sell my much-obsessed-over Iberico de Bellota. Oh, and the aroma in there? Saying it smells overwhelmingly of cheese sounds kind of gross, but it's actually the most delicious thing ever.

The pasta was pretty good, though the lemon fettuccine I had a few weeks ago was even better. I tossed it in a little grated garlic and olive oil, and shredded copious quantities of parm-reg on top.

The finocchiona was ok. I am still in denial/withdrawal from Salume Beddu's finocchiona. Theirs is so perfect, with a mellower, floral, more rustic flavor. I also prefer the thicker slices at Beddu. I know it's not a food mag, but believe Forbes when they say Beddu is the best cured meats place in the country. They are, and I fucking miss them.

Requisite cured meats rant over, I can now discuss the beer.

Dogfish Head's IPA is pretty worth the hype. Hailing originally from Denver, and never having lived east of the Mississippi, DH has always been one of those mythical things. Maybe I tried it at the GABF once, but I would've still hated IPAs back then. So it's new to me, and pretty decent- floral and slightly citrusy. It might be better with a bit more bite? Next time I'll have to try the 90 Minute.