Picante Onion Soup Recipes

PICANTE ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Cook onions and garlic in butter in a large saucepan, over medium-low heat until tender and golden brown.
• Stir frequently, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in tomato juice, broth, water, and picante sauce.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat.
• Simmer uncovered, about 20 minutes more.
• Serve with the croutons and cheese.

SENOR PICO'S PICANTE SAUCE

Steps:

• Saute onion, garlic, and hot peppers in oil until the onion is trasparent, but not browned.
• Add tomato paste and chopped tomatoes.
• Simmer about 2 minutes; add broth, sugar, salt and vinegar.
• Simmer until the tomatoes are cooked, then puree in a blender.
• Re-heat and thicken lightly with flour mixed with 1-2 Tablespoons cold water.
• Cook, stirring, until sauce comes to a boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Top rellenos with sauce.

PICANTE BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp.
• Remove to paper towels; set aside.
• Add onion and garlic to drippings.
• Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
• Add beans, broth, water, 3/4 cup picante sauce, salt and oregano.
• Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
• Ladle into soup bowls; dollop with sour cream.
• Sprinkle with bacon.
• Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

SPICED-UP HEALTHY SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute onion and barley in oil until onion is tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the broth, chicken and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink, 15 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside., Add the picante sauce, garbanzo beans and cilantro to soup; cover and simmer until barley and lentils are tender, 10 minutes longer. , Shred chicken with two forks. Add spinach and chicken to soup. Simmer, uncovered, until spinach is wilted, 5 minutes.

AUTHENTIC FRENCH ONION SOUP COURTESY OF JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Place heavy bottom stock pot or dutch over over medium-low heat.
• Add 1 Tbs cooking oil, 2Tbs butter to pot.
• Add sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil.
• Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent.
• To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium high heat.
• Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly.
• Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbs flour to the onions.
• Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (If the flour does not form a thick paste, you can add a bit more butter here).
• Stir in about 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits.
• Add the rest of the stock, wine to the soup.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Drizzle each side of the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet.
• Cook the croutes for 15 minutes in oven on each side (30 minutes total).
• Check the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer to a casserole dish.
• At this point you can add the 2-3 Tbs cognac and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup.
• Add a few ounces of the swiss cheese directly into the soup and stir.
• Place the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the soup.
• Sprinkle the rest of the cheese in a thick layer on top of the bread making sure to cover the edges of the toast to prevent burning.
• Drizzle with a little oil or melted butter.
• Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
• Turn on broiler and brown cheese well.
• Let cool for a few minutes.
• Bon Apetit!