Miso French Onion Soup

John Schenk, the big, hearty, 55-year-old executive chef of the six Strip House steakhouses nationwide, is a carnivore. His wife, Eun Joo Lee, 36, is a vegetarian. He created this soup for her.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ½ pounds large Spanish onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 8 diagonal slices of baguette, about 1/4 inch thick.
• ⅓ cup miso
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, optional
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large slices Swiss cheese

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    501 calories; 29 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 33 milligrams cholesterol; 1012 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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4 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly and adjusting heat as needed, until the onions are soft and deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow onions to cool in the pan.
2. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until just crisp, about 4 minutes a side. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Pour 3 cups of water into a 2 quart saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Add miso, thyme, and cooked onions; mix well. Simmer and season with salt and pepper as needed.
4. Preheat a broiler. Place a large oven-proof serving bowl or four small oven-proof bowls on a broiling pan or small baking sheet. Pour the hot soup into the large bowl or divide among the small bowls. Place the croutons on top of the soup, and top with Swiss cheese slices. Place the pan holding the soup directly under the broiler until the cheese is melted, and the soup is bubbling. Serve immediately.

1 hour