Swiss Cheese & Onion Soup with Homemade Croutons Recipe

Swiss Cheese & Onion Soup with Homemade Croutons Recipe
Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook (2nd edition 1992)
by Mollie Katzen

Mmm-Mmm! This is one of my favorite winter soup recipes. It sounds plain but it's thick and the texture and flavor are awesome. I cook it at least once a month. If I cook it the same week as Spinach Rice Casserole then I can use the same block of Swiss Cheese for both recipes. The homemade croutons can be a little decadent when you are on a food stamps budget but I splurged this week and loved every bite! The only thing I omitted from the original recipe was the 2 tbsp of sherry because I don't consume alcohol of any kind-even with cooking. Serve this rich soup with a big green salad loaded with beans, nuts and winter's storage crops like beets, carrots, and parsnips.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Swiss Cheese & Onion Soup

Yields: 4 main dish servings

2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

2 medium organic yellow onions-thinly sliced

2 medium cloves organic garlic-minced

1 tsp organic sea salt

2 tsp organic dry mustard

2 tbsp organic whole wheat flour

2 cups water

2 tsp organic prepared horseradish

2 cups organic unsweetened plain soymilk

1.5 cups organic Swiss Cheese-grated/shredded

black pepper

1. Add the olive oil to a large soup pot/dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onions and saute over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until the onions are very soft and beginning to brown.

2. Add the garlic, salt, and dry mustard to onions. Continue to cook about 5 more minutes.

3. Gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly. Then add the water and horseradish. Stir thoroughly to incorporate everything. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat. Cook about 5 minutes more.

4. Add the swiss cheese and soymilk. Stir well and let continue cooking covered for another 10 mintues until the cheese is well melted.

5. Add black pepper to taste and serve with plain or with homemade croutons.

Homemade Crouton Recipe

Loaf of any type bread you fancy-I've used multi-grain baguette, ciabatta, and sourdough.

About 6 tbsp of organic butter or extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. I wait for the bread to be several days old rather than fresh from the bakery. Slice it into small cubes.

3. Warm butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bread cubes and saute for about 10 minutes.

4. Place the sauteed bread cubes on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes. Check for browing color. Turn over bread cubes with a spatula and return to the oven to bake approximately 5 minutes more.

5. Serve toasty from the oven or they store well for several days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.