French Soup just got an upgrade - Allium Mushroom Soup is where it's at!
Snowy, cold winter days just beg for a hot bowl of soup and crusty bread. And this recipe puts a delicious twist on the classic French Onion Soup. The plus side... you can drink the wine as you're cooking too!
Thinly slice all the alliums (all the onions and garlic). Heat olive oil in a large stock/soup pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sliced onions and reduce heat to low. Cook covering with the lid and stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking and stirring (with the pot covered) until the onions are browned and almost caramelized, about 35 minutes.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa and set aside. Add 1 cup of wine to deglaze the pot. Stir and dissolve any browned bits. Bring heat back up to medium and cook until the wine has been absorbed and almost no free liquid stands in the bottom of the pot when stirring. Sift the flour mixture into the onions and cook, stirring until the flour has cooked - about 1-2 minutes.
Add the broth, stirring to get all the flour and onions off the bottom of the pot. Add the mushrooms, Umami Mawmy, thyme, salt & pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the rest of the wine and the balsamic vinegar. Let lightly simmer for at least 30 minutes to meld the flavors. Discard thyme sprigs and serve with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and salt and pepper to tastes. Garnish with Gruyere toasts.
Recipe Note
My dad always says never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink. So yes, the wine does matter! It doesn't have to be your high end favorite, but it definitely needs to be something you enjoy as the flavor will come out in the dish. For this soup, I recommend staying French/French inspired. Go for a classic Bordeaux blend, and the earthiness of the true French Bordeaux is a perfect match for the umami flavors of the soup.
