French Onion Soup with Mushrooms and Prime Rib
Adding mushrooms and prime rib (or any other leftover steak) turns this starter into the main course.
Adding mushrooms and prime rib (or any other leftover steak) turns this starter into the main course.
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 large onions any kind, i used 2 yellow, 1 white and 1 red
- 1 1/2 cups baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup cooked prime rib or other steak diced
- 3 cans beef consomme
- 1/4 c parsley chopped
- 8 slices french bread baguette, croutons may be substituted
- parmesan reggiano or provolone or gruyere, etc.
- Carbohydrate 60.88908 g
- Cholesterol 22.8975 mg
- Fat 20.4763625 g
- Fiber 7.88850012403727 g
- Protein 20.71019 g
- Saturated Fat 7.28174 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (720g)
- Sodium 1966.3485 mg
- Sugar 53.0005798759627 g
- Trans Fat 1.27918825 g
- Calories 486 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut ends off of the onions and slice in half. Peel off the the papery outer layer. Thinly slice all the onions. You can leave the onions whole and slice them, but I find it much easier to fit the onions on my spoon when I'm eating if they've been halved first.
- Over med high heat heat the butter and olive oil in a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. You may use olive oil only, I like the flavor that the butter adds. Add the onions and cook until carmelized. Note: don't stir too often, it's tempting, but don't. When the onions are nice and carmelized (about 10 minutes) add the mushrooms and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add the diced prime rib and cook for about another minute.
- Slowly add the first can of consomme, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, so that you release all the tasty stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan. Next add the remaining two cans of the consomme. Turn the heat down to low. Time for thyme, you can either strip the leaves off and chop or for the lazy folks like me, I just tied butcher string around the sprigs, dropped them into the soup and tied the string to the handle so I could fish them out later with ease. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Add black pepper and the fresh parsley.
- To Serve:
- Ladel into individual oven safe bowls. Top each serving with two slices of the baguette, then grate the parm onto the top. Place under the broiler until the cheese is hot and bubbly and starts to brown.
Thinly slicing the onions after halving them ensures that each spoonful fits neatly into the bowl without dangling shreds. Achieving proper caramelization requires patience and restraint over medium-high heat. Resist the urge to stir the onions constantly; allowing them to sit undisturbed for ten minutes builds the deep fond on the bottom of the pot necessary for rich flavor development.
Integrating leftover cooked proteins like prime rib demands careful timing. Adding already-cooked meat too early will toughen the protein as it boils. Introduce the diced steak during the final minute of the vegetable sauté so it warms through without overcooking before the liquids are added.
Deglazing the Dutch oven releases all those browned bits stuck to the metal. Pouring the first can of beef consommé into the hot pot while scraping vigorously with a wooden spoon dissolves the caramelized sugars instantly. Simmering the broth with fresh thyme sprigs tied to the pot handle allows for easy removal once the aromatics infuse the liquid.
Broiling the assembled bowls requires constant supervision. Place the oven-safe crocks under high heat for just two to three minutes until the cheese melts completely and develops golden-brown blistered spots. Crusty French bread slices absorb the savory broth while the melted cheese creates an impermeable seal over the top.
