French Onion Soup & Quiche

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French Onion Soup
Ingredients

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• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 3 pounds Vidalia onions (about 4 medium), halved lengthwise, peeled, and thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine

• 6 cups homemade beef broth or store-bought low-sodium beef broth

• 10 sprigs thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 baguette

• 1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

• 2 teaspoons sherry, preferably Fino or Manzanilla

• 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
   

Special equipment:

• kitchen twine, six 8-ounce or four 16-ounce oven-safe ramekins or bowls (optional)
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Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven or other large pot, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the oil and onions; cook onions are until softened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and sugar; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, reducing heat slightly if onions seem to be browning too quickly, 35 to 45 minutes more.

2. Add wine and raise heat to high. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Tie thyme and bay leaves into a bundle with twine. Add broth and herb bundle to pot with onions. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until broth is thickened and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Heat the broiler. Cut two 1/2-inch baguette slices for every serving of soup. Place baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until crisp and dry but not browned, about 1 minute per side. Rub one side of each toast with the garlic clove and set aside.

5. Place ramekins or oven-safe bowls on a rimmed baking sheet, add 1/2 teaspoon of sherry to the bottom of each, and ladle soup on top. Top each serving of soup with two garlic-rubbed toasts. Divide cheese among the servings, covering the bread and some of the soup. Carefully transfer baking sheet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 4 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each garlic-rubbed toast with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide sherry and soup among bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)
   Do ahead:

• Soup can be made up to 3 days ahead (without toasts or cheese) if refrigerated,
  or up to 6 months ahead if frozen. Toasts can be made (without cheese)
  and kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Quiche Lorraine Quiche

Ingredients
Pastry for a one ­crust nine ­inch pie  

• 4 strips bacon

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 1 cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, cubed

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 cups heavy cream or 1 cup each milk and cream

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• Tabasco sauce to taste

 Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line a nine-inch pie plate with the pastry. By all means build a rim with the pastry and flute it. This is essential for the amount of custard indicated in this recipe.

3. Cover the bottom of the pastry with a round of parchment paper and add enough dried beans or peas to partly fill the shell. Bake 10 minutes.

4. Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees. Remove and discard the beans and parchment paper and set the pastry-lined pie plate aside.

5. Cook the bacon until crisp and remove it from skillet. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat remaining in the skillet. Cook the onion in the remaining fat until the onion is transparent.

6. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle the bacon, onion and cheeses over the inside of the partly baked pastry.

7. Combine the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste. Strain the mixture over the onion-cheese mixture. Slide the pie onto a baking sheet.

8. Bake the pie until a knife inserted one inch from the pastry edge comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Let stand five or 10 minutes before serving.

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Basic shortcrust pastry

• 225g plain flour

• 100g butter, diced

• pinch salt
   

​Directions:

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Stir in the salt, then add 2-3 tbsp water and mix to a firm dough. Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface. Wrap in cling film and chill while preparing the filling.