Carabaccia – Tuscan Onion Soup

Heat the oil over medium high flame in a 7 quart Dutch oven. Add the sliced onions and sprinkle with salt. Cook stirring until they start to get soft and transparent, about 2-3 minutes. Partially cover and turn the flame down to medium low. Cook stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft, slightly caramelized and jammy looking, about 15-20 minutes.

Turn up the heat to medium high. Add garlic and cook stirring until that softens, about 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf, dates, chili pepper if using and 2 cups stock. Stir to mix. Cook uncovered for about 40 minutes adding more stock as the soup thickens until you’ve used it all up. Stir in vinegar or lemon juice. Adjust for salt and pepper. Let the soup sit 10 minutes off the heat while you prepare to serve. At this point the soup can be chilled and frozen.

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C or turn on the broiler. Mix the cheeses together in a bowl. Set aside. Lay out 6 oven-proof soup bowls on a sheet pan for easy handling. Set aside.

There are 2 methods of serving the soup. They’re both good so it’s really a matter of taste which you choose. Here they are:

1. Lay a slice of grilled bread at the bottom of each individual bowl. Ladle the soup over it. Spoon the cheese over the top of the soup. Repeat. Place soups in the oven on a high shelf. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and is flecked with brown. Let sit a couple of minutes. Serve.
2. Ladle the soup into individual oven-proof soup bowls. Lay the grilled bread on top and spoon cheese over bread to cover. Place soups under the broiler on a low rung. Broil until cheese is melted and is flecked with brown. Serve immediately.

Ann’s Tips

4 lbs is a lot of onions to slice, especially as they need to be thinly cut, but a mandoline set at 1/8th inch makes short work of them. The onions will lose some of their color as they cook, and when the soup is cold they can look a little grey, but never fear, their color warms up again as the soup heats through.