Of course you can always experiment with the types of onions you use. I must admit I don’t think I use the same combination all the time. I did try it with just yellow onions and didn’t find the flavour to be as deep as when I used a combination.

The slower you cook the onions the better they develop so feel free to take longer then the 20 minutes in both step #3 and #5. You just can’t go wrong with this one.

The following recipe is adapted from Jamie’s Dinners by Jamie Oliver.

The Ultimate Onion Soup

5 lbs mixed onions ( 2 Red, 2 yellow, 1 White and 1 Sweet Vidalia)
handful fresh thyme, leaves picked
8 cloves garlic,  sliced
2 large fresh bay leaves
3 tbsp olive oil plus some for drizzling
3 tbsp butter
6-1/4 cups beef stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette
4-6 oz Gruyère cheese grated

1. Melt butter with oil in a thick bottomed non-stick pan.
2. Add onions, thyme, garlic and bay leaves.

3. Slowly fry the onions with a lid on for about 15-20 minutes but don’t colour them. Stir occasionally so they don’t stick.
4. Remove lid, turn up heat and colour till golden brown.
5. Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes (or longer to really develop the flavours).

6. Skim any fat if desired.
7. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.
8. Start broiler on med – high
9. Pour soup into oven proof serving bowls, top with a torn piece of baguette, drizzle with olive oil and top with grated cheese.
10 Place bowls on baking sheet, place in broiler to toast bread and melt cheese.
Serve

So I was thrilled when I recently came across this recipe for Minestra Maritata (Italian Wedding Soup) over at Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy.

Actually, “thrilled” is an understatement; I think I gave a little cry of joy and danced a quick little dance. At any rate, the first thing I did was print out the recipe and rush into the kitchen waving it in my hand, saying, “I want this! Can you make it? Please?” to Ward.

So he did.

Italian Wedding Soup

We varied the recipe a little; we used ground beef and pork, rather than ground veal and pork. We decided on acini di pepe for the pasta, because I’ve always liked the way the little balls of pasta feel in the mouth. We didn’t have any homemade broth on hand, so we used organic chicken broth.

Was it good? Absolutely! And Ward loved how quick and easy it was.