Irish Onion Soup

Serving Size: Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces
3 tablespoons Irish Whiskey
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons, plus a pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dark beer, Guinness or a micro-brewed Stout
6 1/2 cups beef stock or broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 – 3/4-inch thick slices baguette, day-old
eight 1/4-inch thick slices Sharp Cheddar, Irish or Wisconsin

Adapted From: tasting table

Description
Onion soup with Irish flair. Perfect for those chilly St Patty’s days.

Preparation
In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted and the white foam subsides, add the Sliced onions. Cook, using a wooden spoon to stir occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Add the Irish whiskey. If you have a gas burner, carefully tilt the pan toward the flame to flambee the onion-and-whiskey mixture. If you have an electric or induction cooktop, use a long match to flambee the whiskey (or you can skip the flambeeing altogether).

Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a darker shade of brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in pinch of salt, flour and finely chopped garlic.  Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Then, while stirring, pour in the beer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dark beer is reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes.

Add the Beef stock, remaining 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes.

Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler to high. Divide the soup among 4 oven-safe bowls and set them on a rimmed baking sheet. To each bowl, add 2 bread slices. Cover each slice of bread with 2 pieces of the sliced sharp cheddar.

Set the rimmed baking sheet on the upper-middle oven rack and broil until the cheese is melted, golden and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes (watch the cheese closely, as broiler intensities vary). Remove from the oven and serve immediately.