Soups

Onion soup au gratin

Serves 4

800 g yellow onions

2 dl dry white wine

1 bay leaf

½ liter of vegetable stock

1 tablespoon flour

100 g hard fontina cheese  or mild provolone

40 g butter

Salt, pepper

1 loaf of baquette bread

Peel the onions and cut them into thin slices. Put them in a saucepan with the butter and allow to simmer over very low heat for about 20 minutes. Add the bay leaf. Add the wine, let it evaporate, pour the broth (or hot water) and cook for about 40 minutes. Take a ladle of broth, mix it with the flour, then pour it back onto the onions. Add salt and abundant pepper and cook for another 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Cut the bread into slices about ½ cm thick, put them in a tray lined with baking paper and brown them under the oven grill on both sides. Put the slices of bread into 4 small ramekins, pour the soup, sprinkle with grated cheese and put in the oven at 220 degrees for about 15 minutes until golden-brown.

Side Dishes

Potatoes with artichokes

Serves 4

5 artichokes

4 medium potatoes

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 clove garlic

2 dl vegetable broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

A small onion

Salt, pepper

Juice of one lemon

Cut the stem of each artichoke so that only about 4 cm remains and peel it. Discard the tough outer leaves and cut about 3 cm off the top of each artichoke. Halve the artichoke and discard the choke, if any. Halve again and place the artichoke wedges in a bowl of cold water acidulated with the lemon juice.  Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. Finely slice the onion and fry it gently in a pan with the oil. Add the potatoes and artichokes and stir to blend well. Season with salt, pepper, pour the broth and cook with the lid over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Finely chop the parsley with the garlic and add to the vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue to cook until water evaporates.   

One-dish meal recipes

Sausage with carrots

Serves 4

6 carrots

4 sausages, casings removed

½ onion

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 dl dry white wine

2 dl vegetable broth

salt

Finely chop the onion and fry it gently in a pan with the oil along with the sausage cut into pieces of a cm or so, for about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, peeled and cut into slices and the parsley. Pour in the wine and let it evaporate. Adjust with salt and add the broth (if you haven't any broth add some warm water). Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cream sauces

Zucchini and smoked salmon cream sauce

2 zucchini

½ shallot

4 tablespoons olive oil

150 g smoked salmon, sliced

100 ml fresh cream

Salt, pepper

In a large skillet heat the oil, add the finely chopped shallot and the zucchini thinly sliced. Cook over medium heat until the zucchini is cooked, about 10 minutes. Add the cream, stir well and cook for a minute or two, adjust salt and pepper. Remove from heat, add the salmon, cut into small pieces and stir to flavor. Combine to pasta and serve immediately.