CREAMY ONION SOUP WITH SHERRY

Creamy Onion Soup with Sherry image

Yield serves 4 to 6, yields 9 cups

Number Of Ingredients 15

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5 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 16-ounce package of frozen pearl onions (whole small onions)
3 garlic cloves, pressed (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, or more to taste
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes of crusty bread, such as sourdough, pumpernickel, rye, or French
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

Steps:

In a saucepan on medium heat, warm the milk and 1 cup of water to just under a simmer. Don't let the liquid boil. Cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a soup pot, melt the butter. Stir in the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the onions with the flour and stir for a minute. The butter and any liquid will be absorbed and the mixture will thicken. Stir in the sherry, cook for a couple of minutes, and then stir in the sour cream. Increase the heat to medium, add about 2 cups of the hot milk, and stir until smooth. Add the rest of the milk, lower the heat, and slowly bring to just below a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat until the croutons are done.
To make the croutons, toast the bread cubes until crisp on the outside but still soft and moist on the inside. In a small pan on low heat, melt the butter. Add the olive oil, thyme, and marjoram and sizzle the herbs for a minute. Put the toasted bread cubes into a bowl, drizzle on the herbed butter, and toss well.
Serve the soup piping hot, topped with the croutons. A note of caution: Be careful when you bite into an onion! It may be surprisingly hot.
A side of Baby Greens with Pecans & Pears (page 206) or tangy Lemony Green Beans (page 192) complements this creamy soup. For dessert, try Apples Two Ways (page 191) or New England Squash Pie (page 277).