Post-Holiday Reverie

Ahhh the holidays. Food, family, gifts... and liquor to help make it all go down a little easier. I'm sure I hit my 3-5 lb gain quota over the past two weeks of celebrating. Cookies and beer: a combination to surely put you over the edge.

I did try two firsts this holiday season: pickled herring and liver pate. Yes, pickled herring is a staple at any WI family gathering, but I've always been a bit afraid of it. It's really not as bad as it sounds. The liver pate? Eh. It was OK. Don't think I'll ever crave it, don't think I can have more than one or two crackers of it, but it's all right.

Thought I'd post a recipe for soup that I made this year: Caramelized Onion and Portobello Mushroom Soup. It's definitely a keeper and wanted to share. I based it on an Epicurious recipe, but altered it to better fit my tastes. It's a great soup for entertaining and easy to make. Like a French Onion Soup, I highly recommend throwing the soup in a little oven-safe dishes, top it with garlic toast and some mozz and broiling it until the cheese is all brown and bubbly. Mmmmm... cheese....

Caramelized Onion and Portobello Mushroom Soup (6 servings)

3 Tbs butter
5 cups of thinly sliced onion
4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
1 1/2 lbs portobello mushrooms, stemmed, caps halved and cut crosswise into 1/4" thick strips
2 Tbs Cognac or brandy
5 garlic cloves
2 cans fat free chicken broth
2 can fat free beef broth
1 cup dry white wine
dash of cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Melt 1 Tbs butter in heavy large pot over high heat. Add onions and thyme; saute until onions begin to soften (about 8 mins).


2. Reduce hat to low; cook until onions are caramelized, stirring occasionally (about 20 mins). Transfer onion mixture to a medium bowl.


3. Melt remaining 2 Tbs butter in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until soft (about 12 mins).


4. Add Cognac and garlic; stir 20 seconds.


5. Stir in onion mixture, then broth and wine. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until onions are very tender (about 45 mins).


6. Discard thyme sprigs. Season soup with cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.