Oh, hello. It’s been a while. It’s been a whirlwind of a month since my last post. During the time I was away, I made a wedding cake, 200 cupcakes and threw an engagement party for my brother. There was a dessert bar, which I’ve wanted to do forever and a beautiful mini cake filled with flowers. I need to share photos with you guys asap as possible (<=the office).
I almost called this soup, a shepherd’s pie French onion soup because of the mashed potato. But, as shepherd’s pie usually has beef and this does not, I felt like I would be misleading you. It has a ring of mashed potato that floats around the crouton, like a delicious moat around a castle of bread and cheese. The mashed potatoes meld into the soup once you dig into it giving it a velvety finish similar to potato soup.
I didn’t even plan on making it this way until I realized that I had some mashed potatoes left over from dinner the other night and thought that it was a great way to use up the rest of it. Because in the world of food math: potatoes + onions = winning. But really, you don’t have to go out of your way to make mashed potatoes because even without it, it’s a pretty darn awesome French onion soup.
I know it’s customary to put either gruyère or mozzarella on top of French onion soup, but I had some sliced Muenster cheese in my fridge and it melted beautifully. Insert heart eyes emoji .
P.S. I have this really awesome Christmas cake coming your way. Like my-mind-can’t-handle-it-cute. I can’t wait to share it with you as soon as I put it together. Hopefully, by next week!
French Onion Mashed Potato Soup
Makes about 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 large onions, sliced thin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ c. red wine
1 ½ tbsp. flour
1 qt. beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
2 slices muenster cheese
mashed potatoes (recipe below)
Instructions:
- In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until onions are caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook until the wine evaporates and the onions are dry.
- Discard the bay leaf and thyme spring. Stir in flour.
- Cook the flour over low heat for about 2-3 minutes (do not burn the flour).
- Slowly add in the beef broth while stirring.
- Simmer the soup for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Preheat your broiler. Fill your soup bowl or crock bowls with the soup.
- Place a large baguette slice in the center of the soup.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with large frosting tip with the mashed potato. (I used one with a lot of teeth hoping that it would make a pretty presentation with the toasted edges, but once the cheese covered it, it didn’t matter. So, any large cake tip will work.)
- Pipe around the floating slice of baguette.
- Place a slice of cheese on each bowl and broil until the cheese gets nice and toasty.
- Serve hot.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
1 stick butter, melted
1 c. heavy cream, divided
about ½ c. low-sodium chicken stock
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook potatoes until tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain and peel potatoes under cool running water.
- Pass potatoes through a ricer into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the melted butter and half of cream.
- Whip on low speed until cream and butter are incorporated. Move to a higher speed and whip until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Adjust the taste and consistency with more heavy cream or chicken stock.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve warm.
French onion soup recipe adapted from The Food Network.
Mashed potato recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
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