French Onion Soup With Bagel Bread Pudding Croutons Recipes

FRENCH ONION SOUP BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease six 8-ounce ramekins with butter and set aside on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Cut six 1/2-inch thick slices from the baguette and place them on the baking sheet. Cut the remaining baguette into 1/2-inch cubes (you should have about 4 1/2 cups) and spread them out on the same baking sheet. Bake, tossing the cubes and flipping the slices halfway through, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, 35 to 40 minutes. Add the wine, turn the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil and cook until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and the bouillon cube and stir until the cube dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil and let cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together the heavy cream, chives, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup bread cubes to each ramekin, sprinkle each with 1/4 cup Gruyere and top each with 1/4 cup bread cubes. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Divide the onion mixture among the ramekins. Top each ramekin with a slice of bread and 3/4 cup Gruyere.
• Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the egg mixture. Bake on the baking sheet until the custard is set and the bread pudding is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH BAGEL BREAD PUDDING CROUTONS

Steps:

• For the bread pudding: In a bowl whisk together the heavy cream, salt and eggs. Place the bagels in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Pour the cream mixture over the top and set aside to soak for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cover the baking pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil from the pan and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Cool the bread pudding completely.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Separate the bagel pieces and place on a baking sheet. Toast until the edges turn golden brown, 5 minutes.
• For the onions: In a 14-inch skillet or a medium high-sided saute pan, heat the oil over high heat and pour in the sliced onions. Do NOT stir the onions or shake the pan. When the pan gets hot again and the onions begin to sizzle, add the salt and stir. The onions at the bottom of the pan should be brown. Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring. The onions will begin to soften and release their juices (the natural sugars in the juices will caramelize the onions). Cook for 15 minutes, and then reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking, stirring the onions periodically to make sure they don't stick to the pan, until completely soft and a rich dark brown color, 30 minutes.
• For the soup: In a large saucepot set over medium heat, melt the butter until it starts to bubble. Add in the caramelized onions, then add the sherry and cook at a low simmer until the alcohol cooks out, 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf and stock, and cook for 30 minutes. Season with salt as the soup cooks. Portion the soup into serving bowls and top with some toasted bagel bread pudding croutons. Garnish each serving with 2 tablespoons gruyere if using, and serve.