Thiol Therapy

Heavy rain blew in last night with chilly winds and I suddenly find myself feeling incredibly home sick. Yes, I am technically in the place that I live, but I am far from the place I call home. The UK has a special place in my heart and though I haven't spent the majority of my days there, it is of no consequence to my soul who calls it home. Home is where the heart is, which means pieces of my heart are scattered all over. My brother & his lovely wife are far away in Aberdeen, my oil man is working off exotic shores 100 feet above the ocean on a drilling rig, and my mum & dad, busy with company, are excitedly planning their next adventure in just a few short days. Not particularly looking forward to their impending departure, partly due to my jealousy of their future adventure but mostly because I will miss them while they are gone, I felt it was only appropriate to treat them to one of my favorite cold weather comfort foods, French Onion Soup. I hope you enjoy my recipe as much as they did!


French Onion Soup

 The Odds & Ends
2 tbsp of unsalted butter
1 tsp of salt
1 large red onion
1 small - medium sweet onion
24oz Chicken Broth
10oz beef broth
1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 sprigs fresh Parsley
2 sprigs fresh Thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
French Bread
Sliced Gruyere
Shredded Asiago & Mozarella mixed
additional salt and pepper to taste

Turn Up the Heat
1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium to high heat.
2. Lower temperature slightly to a medium heat and combine red onions, sweet onions and salt to the melted butter and cook for at least half an hour to allow the onions to caramelize. (Try not to stir too often as it will allow the onions to caramelize better.)
3. Once the onions are nicely caramelized pour in the chicken & beef broths followed by the red wine and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Stir until they have mixed into each other and then add the bay leaf along with the fresh parsley & thyme.
5. Put the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 25 minutes.
6. Having heard your buzzer ring, reduce the temperature to medium-low, fish out the fresh herbs and mix in the vinegar along with salt & pepper to taste before putting the lid back on.
7. Slice your french bread into chunky pieces (about 1 inch thick) and allow to toast slightly under the oven broiler.
8. Once both sides have been toasted, remove from heat but leave oven on broil.
9. Arrange your oven safe bowls on a baking sheet.
10. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with your onion soup.
11. Top each bowl with the toasted bread (it should fill the top of the bowl), 2 slices of Gruyere, and  a large portion of the shredded cheese.
12. Place the baking sheet of bowls under the broiler and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
13. The cheese should ooze over the sides forming a crusty seal on top.
14. Serve & Enjoy



(On this occasion I did not have a baking sheet available, so I simply filled the bowls lower so that the cheese could not ooze over. Although not ideal, I promise it is just as tasty!)

**For those of you who are wondering, Thiol is the vapor released from onions that makes you cry.

Magical Crepes

Today is Mother's Day in America so I feel it is only appropriate to share one of my favorite recipes which I enjoy cooking for my mum.

I will never forget wandering the streets of Paris with my best friend, my darling mother, and looking up at the lights of the Eiffel Tower at night. We walked around the mesmerizing structure chatting and giggling about the wonders of Paris before making our way across the River Seine, through Jardins du Trocadero, and up a large concreate staircase.

Half way up the stairs, just to the right, sat a crepe stand. A French man with a friendly smile, was pouring batter onto a massive circular hot plate and twirling a long wooden spatula to spread the batter out into the perfect crepe. Flipping the crepe high into the air it landed perfectly on the other side, cooking to perfection before being smothered in nutella and showered with banana slices. After being folded into the perfect handheld crepe, we were handed our French masterpieces which we tucked into quickly.

Walking up the rest of the stairs to the Esplanade du Trocadero, giggling and enjoying our chocolaty indulgence, it began to rain. We finished our treat and enjoyed the Eiffel Tower shimmering in the rain under the sky spotted with clouds and stars before bustling off into the metro to make our merry way.

From this moment on, every time I make crepes, I am brought back to this moment in Paris. One of my favorite memories, I will always remember this night in the rain, and in honor of my mother on Mother's Day I am going to share with you my magical crepe recipe that makes the sun & stars come out on even the rainiest of days.



Magical Crepes

 The Odds & Ends
4oz unbleached all purpose flour
A pinch of Salt
2 eggs
300ml of milk and water mixed together
2 tbsp melted butter



Mix It Up
1. Put the flour and salt into a bowl.
2. Add the eggs along with a generous splash of the milk & water, and whisk in to the flour.
3. Once you have combined all of the flour into the tacky batter, begin to gradually add the rest of the milk & water, whisking until all the ingredients are well mixed in.
4. Add the melted butter to the batter and whisk in.
5. Heat a small frying pan to a medium-high heat, placing a chunk of butter on it to melt.
6. Pour the batter onto the frying pan allowing it to spread thinly.
7. Wait until the crepe begins to bubble before flipping it over. 8. It will only take a few moments before both sides are cooked. Once both sides are golden. Flip your crepe out onto a plate.
9. Crepes are fantastic savory or sweet, garnish as you please and enjoy!


Indulge:
I particularly enjoy my crepes topped either with freshly squeezed lemon and granulated sugar or with slices of banana with nutella and topped with ice cream.