Taste of the Season: Three Onion Soup

• Editor's Note: Margaret M. Johnson is the author of 10 cookbooks, most recently “Christmas Flavors of Ireland” available on amazon.com.

The French may have invented onion soup, but it took the Irish to give it a new spin with the addition of stout, such as Guinness or Murphy’s, that provides not only a deep color but also a malty flavor. This hearty autumn soup also uses three kinds of onions and is delicious topped with homemade garlic croutons and an Irish cheese like Kerrygold Blarney or Swiss! The recipe originally appeared in my cookbook “Cooking with Irish Spirits.”

Three Onion Soup

Serves 8-10

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 3 large Spanish onions, and sliced

• 2 red onions, sliced

• 4 shallots, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tsp. dried basil

• 1 tsp. dried thyme

• 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar

• 3 cups beef stock

• 1 cup Irish stout

• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• Garlic croutons

• 1/4 pound shredded Irish cheese

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, shallots, garlic, and bay leaves, and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not browned.

2. Add the basil, thyme, brown sugar, stock, and stout, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook  for about 30 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

3.To serve, sprinkle 6-8 croutons into ovenproof crocks, ladle soup over, and cover with cheese. Put the crocks on a baking sheet and place under the broiler, 4 inches from the heat source, for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese melts and bubbles.