French Onion Soup

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking (2006 edition) by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker...

One of the most enjoyable aspects of making this recipe is drinking all but 2 Tbs of the sherry along the way.

Heat in a soup pot over medium-low heat until the butter is melted:

• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• Add and stir to coat:
• 5 medium onions, thinly sliced
• Pinch of dried thyme

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and keeping and eye on the onions so they do not scorch.  As soon as they start to brown, about 15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, covered, stirring, until they are a rich brown, about 40 minutes.  Stir in:

• 2 Tbs dry sherry or Congac

Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sherry has evaporated.  Stir in:

• 3 1/2 cups broth

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.  Season with:

• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Place 4 ovenproof soup bowls or crocks on a baking sheet.
Ladle the hot soup into the bowls and top each with:

• 1 to 3 slices French bread, toasted (8 to 24 slices, total)

Cover each bowl with:

• Gruyere or Swiss cheese, sliced about 1/8" thin

Broil until the cheese is melted and brown.

Chuff's Dal

Adapted from various recipes in Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi, mostly her Simple Mung Dal Soup/Sada Moong Dal with the chaunk based upon her various other dal recipes.

Sort, wash and drain until you wash off most of the bubbly, mineral oil:

• 1 cup split beans of your choice (red lentils are nice and cook quickly)

Combine these in a nice soup pot with:

• 7-8 cups water (Or less, depends upon how thin you like it.  I like a lot of broth)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder or minced fresh turmeric or combination (fresh turmeric is great)
• 2 tsp ground coriander (fresh is best)
• 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger root (more or less as you like)
• 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic (optional and more or less as you like, it tastes a good bit different and good without garlic)
• 1 tsp minced seeded hot peppers (2,3,4 or more to whatever heat you like)
• 1 or more dried red peppers (optional and as you like it)
• Pinch or more of hot red pepper powder (optional and as you like it)

Stirring occasionally, bring to a full boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to moderately low, cover and simmer gently for about an hour or until dal is soft and fully cooked.

Remove from heat, uncover and add:

• 1/2 tsp salt (You may like more, but you would be wrong.)

Now, we make the chaunk.

Heat to medium high heat in a small frying pan or kadhai:

• 1 Tbs canola oil
• 1 Tbs butter

Add all at once:

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 or more dried red peppers, whole

Stir fry until mustard seeds just begin to pop.
Quickly add:

• Pinch or more of asefetida (We like about 1/8 tsp)
• 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds,  crushed
• 4-6 small fresh curry leaves or 1 bay leaf

Within a few seconds, remove from heat and add chaunk to the dal.
Add to dal (optional):

• 1 Tbs fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped (or just provide for diners to add as desired)

Let stand a while so the ingredients get to know each other before serving.

Vegetarian Chili with Puy Lentils

Adapted from "Vegetarian Chili" in Joy of Cooking (2006 edition) <http://www.thejoykitchen.com/>

8 servings [Cornbread goes well with chili.]

Heat in a large saucepan over medium heat:

• 2 Tbs olive oil

Add:

• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion

Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Stir in:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1, 2 or more fresh green chili peppers (jalapeno, etc.) seeded and finely chopped
• 1 Tbs chili powder (Our most recent batch is Swad brand Resham Patti or Reshampatti from Patel Brothers Indian Grocery in Decatur, GA.  It makes all the difference in taste and is just wonderfully rich and tasty hot, currently 14oz for $2 at <http://www.patelbrothersusa.com>.)
• 1 Tbs ground cumin (Get fresh cumin seeds and grind fresh, makes a big difference in taste.)

Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to sweeten garlic and peppers and to roast seasonings, stir in:

• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes, coarsely chopped with their juice (I use the no-salt-added variety)
• 1 1/2 cup Puy aka French green lentils aka lentilles du Puy, dry (Got them in bulk at Your Dekalb Farmer's Market <www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com>)  These lentils hold together well over re-heatings and are damn good.  I've also used other dried lentils and/or canned and dried pinto, black, kidney, white, masoor, mung, urad, ... beans.
• However much water you think will be needed to be absorbed by the lentils and still retain the sauce level you like.
• Tomato paste in whatever amount you desire.  (I had 8 oz. around last time I made it and it worked fine.  Sometimes I don't add any.)
• Salt to taste (I don't add any salt :-)

Bring to a boil.  Reduce the ehat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more tomato juice or water as needed, until the lentils are done and the flavors are blended, at least 45 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and serve with any or all of:

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sour cream
• Cheese
• Saltine Crackers