Leftover Love: Onion Soup-Onions
Oct 14th, 2009 by Marilyn
I love leftovers, but I do not like the word leftovers. Three honeyed carrots, one slice of salmon or half a chicken, leftovers are the backbone of many meals and the fridge light of my life. I do not think of leftovers in negative terms, as in, all leftovers must go. Because there’s no bit too small, no stray yolks or scoop of couscous I can’t use, those foil-wrapped chunks and square containers should rise against the word leftover and demand to be called ingredients. A good bread-baker uses bubbling starter to make new bread, and the good cook uses leftovers – hopefully not bubbling, nor live – to make new meals.
Today our refrigerator pal is onion-soup onions. Scanning your shelves, you think, what? This is not a leftover I have. Dear friends it’s October, and time to simmer soup. If you haven’t yet done so you should, and you can start with my favorite French Onion-Cider Soup, here. If like me you’re heavy-handed with the onions, you can enjoy a few rounds of soup and still have plenty left over – a translucent golden heap, steeped in loving wine-kissed soup. I look forward to this heap, because soup-smooched onions are a bonus, an ingredient so prized there should be onion soup-onion-hunting pigs. Now – if you can resist caramelized snacking by the spoonful, here are five easy ways to use them:
1. Croque Monsieur Football Edition The Parisians would literally croak seeing their beloved snack all faux’ed up and served to screaming Chiefs fans. But can they argue with greatness? To make these open-faced sandwiches, start with slices of thick, eggy bread like challah or brioche. Swipe on a dab of grainy mustard, then add Black Forest ham and onion soup-onions. Top with sliced Gruyere (or Fontina, or Jarlsberg) cheese, and sprinkle top with a dash of cayenne pepper. Lay sandwiches on sheet pan and place under hot broiler, just until cheese bubbled and browns. Serve (to viewers) immediately.
2. French Onion Omelet I made one of these for Josie earlier today, a rolled yellow omelet stuffed with spinach leaves, soup onions, melting Gruyere and nutmeg, and when asked how it was she could not answer, just a sound. To use onion soup-onions in omelets, first make sure they’re drained. Although your soup is ostensibly gone, the onions still hold liquid – so before using, let onions rest briefly on a paper towel to dry. On to the omelets: for wonderful fillings, try combining onions with fresh spinach, Swiss cheese and a dash of nutmeg, or mixed wild mushrooms with onions and goat cheese.
3. Maple-Onion Roast Butternut Squash Preheat oven to 400 F. Halve, peel, and remove seeds from a large (approx 3 lbs) butternut squash. Cut into 3/4″ chunks, then toss squash pieces in bowl with 1 cup onion soup-onions, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt, ground pepper and dried thyme. Spread squash mixture on sheet pan and bake approximately 40 minutes, or until squash pieces are lightly browned on sides, and softened. Stir and turn squash pieces every 12-15 minutes to better caramelize and avoid burning.
4. Onion-Dill Cream Cheese Not your average spread. In food processor fitted with metal blade, place 8 oz softened cream cheese, one large scoop onion soup-onions, and a few large sprigs of fresh dill. Process to almost smooth, leaving a few onion pieces, occasionally stopping processor to scrape down sides. Turn mixture into bowl and stir in sea salt and ground pepper to taste. Try serving with bagels and marinated cucumbers, or pumpernickel and smoked salmon.
5. Pecan, Brie and French Onion Quesadillas Here I borrow (and mess around with ) a great idea from Gwen Ashley Walters, a marvelous blogging chef who first shared these quesadillas in her July 2009 Tell Simmer. Take 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas and spread each with a heaping tablespoon of chopped onion soup-onions. Divide 3 tablespoons chopped, toasted pecans and sprinkle each half over onions. Add 3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) chopped Brie cheese over one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle pinch of sea salt and dash each of nutmeg and cayenne pepper over cheese on each tortilla. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently. Cook quesadillas on a preheated griddle (or in a skillet) until tortilla browns and cheese starts to melt, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip and brown the other side. Cut each tortilla into four wedges before serving.
So there we have it – onion soup, the gift that keeps giving. Any leftover love ideas to share?
YES! Stand up and shout it out: leftovers DO NOT SUCK! This post is fantastic (and I particularly like the idea of “soup-smooched” onions). As for my own recent foray into leftovers-as-ingredients, I roasted a chicken and some root vegetables on Sunday night.
Monday I made chicken salad – that most obvious use of leftover chicken – with celery, almonds, lime juice, mayo and cilantro. But for dinner we had root veg pizza! I mixed up some goat cheese with roasted garlic, lemon zest, pepper, and enough olive oil to make it more spready and less clumpy, plopped it on whole wheat dough and topped with the leftover chunks of roasted potato, carrot, turnip, parsnip and acorn squash. Wish I had had some arugula to top the warm pie with, but even without greens it was warm and homey and filling. Viva leftovers!
OMG! I just smashed my face into my computer screen trying desperately (and unsuccessfully) to take a bite out of the Croque Monsieur. (And frankly, the French need to loosen up a bit — they could learn a thing or twelve from you).
Great post (again) and sparking all kinds of ideas for the wonders of softly caramelized onions.
You can have your way with my recipes any day.
There is a great recipe in Eugenia Bone’s Well Preserved for stewed onions. I made some this spring and stuck them in a jar in the freezer. This post totally inspired me to go home tonight, take out a jar and make some onion soup!
I’ve been big lately on making ‘leftover’ soup. Not soup that I’ve eaten before, but soup made of a bunch of leftovers I have in my fridge. I made one last week with leftover roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes and bacon.
I love leftovers, almost anything is great in an omelette with a dab of goat cheese. My favorite is roast chicken, mashed potatoes and goat cheese leftover omelette!!
Mar,
This, of course, has nothing to do with omelets and onions, except in the sense that it’s a breakfast question. But. Have you ever heard of Mahnomin Porridge? I once sent Al Franken some money (stay with me here), which means I now get his e-newsletters. And Mahnomin Porridge is what is served at his constituent breakfasts because it is simple, filling, and clearly (judging from my little google of it) to die for. So if you’re ever looking for something, oh, kind of like that, let me know. The base is wild rice. Can’t be harder than a croque monsieur, can it? I just want to know what you think.
These are the best leftovers I’ve ever seen! This will be the weekend’s menus.
Hmmm…. I do not in fact have any soup smooched onions but I do have some onion marmalade and some kick-ass stock cubes frozen and now I am totally wondering what would happen if the twain did meet?
Short that the next sound you hear is the slam of my front door as I head out to buy a second big bag of organic onions. Hold on everybody, Momma’s making soup tomorrow!
A girl after my own heart–I too love leftovers. As I’m sure you already know, not many people do
I always tell people I was born in the wrong era and should’ve been dumped somewhere on the prairie. Regardless, loved your post and your great ideas. Bravo! I think I’ll forward it to my skeptical friends/families who shun leftovers on a daily basis…
Often times, what I scrounge and create with my left-overs is more inspiring and delicious than the original dish. I’m with you tho… not really liking the term “left-overs”
I *hate* to admit this but I’m not quite as savvy as using every scrap as I’d like to be. I’ve gotten better over time – less and less goes to waste. It takes lots of skill to use every last scrap. Progress, not perfection – right?
Oh wow. You shouldn’t have led with a link to another blog for PUMPKIN STOUT bread (and to find out that it’s frosted with cream cheese frosting almost makes me want to head to the kitchen right now)! I immediately followed the link and now have another blog to check in with! But now I’m back to read more.
As always, a great post. Our household did a celebratory dance last week when our five-year-old daughter announced that she liked soup. Prior to this revelation, we had to prepare deconstructed soups for her. This is no way to enjoy a soup.
When a pot of soup is on the stovetop, all is right with the world. Throw in some crusty bread and you have nirvana.
I love to make big batches of caramelized onions when I have a 10-pound bag from Costco. They keep in the refrigerator or freezer and are so handy for quick soups and sandwiches.
I love leftovers!! There is so much you can do with them and sometimes you even come up with a new great recipe.
I use the onion soup onions in mini quiches with the onions, egg mixture and then topped with you favorite cheese. As the base for a great gravy, and Quesadillas for sure. I love the Croque Monsieur you show here. Thanks for such great recipes and awesome photographs.