Creamy Mushroom French Onion Soup

My mother-in-law is having a birthday on Saturday. When asked what she’d like for her birthday dinner at our house she requested my onion soup. Some people may have difficult in-laws so when I discover something my in-laws like, I try to share it with others. A word to the wise however, before making this for your mother-in-law make sure she likes onions first!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus some for baguettes

2 pounds (about 5 medium) sweet onions, cut into half and sliced

6-8 cloves garlic, chopped fine

8 oz tub mushrooms, sliced

sea salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon Penzy’s Fox Point seasoning*

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

12 oz bottle of pilsner beer

32 oz beef broth

4 oz bag Trader Joe’s cheese & garlic croutons

1 1/2 cups T.J’s shredded quattro formaggio cheese blend

1/2 cup heavy cream

1-2 cups shredded gruyere cheese, divided

12 slices of a fresh baguette

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large cast iron dutch oven, over medium-heat, add butter and olive oil.  As you slice the onions, add them to the dutch pot with butter and olive oil.  Add all onions and stir continuously to keep them from burning.  Season with a couple pinches of sea salt and ground pepper.  Cook them until caramelized, soft and golden, about 25-30 minutes.

After about 15 minutes add mushrooms, garlic, Penzy’s Fox Point seasoning, worcestershire and garlic powder.  Stir to coat all the onions and mushrooms.  Once onions are caramelized add beer, beef broth, croutons and 1 cup quattro formaggio.  Stir until it reaches a boil, then reduce heat to a steady low simmer.

Let flavors melt together for about 25-30 minutes more.  Stir throughout the process. While flavors set, slice baguette into 12 1/4 inch slices. Freeze the rest of the baguette for later use.  Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle with some olive oil.  Evenly place the baguette slices onto the foil and drizzle tops with some olive oil.  Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup of quattro formaggio cheese over the slices and bake at 350 degrees in oven until cheese starts to melt, about 6-8 minutes.  When cheese has melted, turn the broiler on to brown the cheese.  This process happens quickly so watch it under the broiler.

Leave the broiler on and remove baguettes and set them aside.  Grate about 1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese and sprinkle it over the soup in the dutch oven, don’t stir it in.  Using oven mitt, place baking rack on a lower setting, so you can fit the dutch oven under the broiler.  When cheese turns bubbly and golden brown, turn off the broiler and remove the dutch oven.

Spoon desired amount into 6 bowls.  Place two baguette slices atop each bowl of soup.

*Penzy’s fox point seasoning contains: salt, shallots, chives, garlic, onion and green peppercorns.