ALMOND AND ONION SOUP

A-Z Soup

Soup and bread go way back. A well baked loaf and a well made soup are a transcendent combination. Through the years soup has become a classic, delicious and nutritious first course.

The first Spanish language cookbook was written in the sixteenth century by Ruperto de Nola,  a chef to the Spanish ruler of Naples, King Hernando,  In it he included a soup recipe calling for almonds and onions.

Almost 500 years later and almond and onion soup is still popular all over Spain, often served as a first course at the afternoon meal.

The technique used in this soup may remind you of  French Onion Soup but the difference is that here the onions are not browned and a lot of almonds are used.  It makes for a spectacular tasting soup that you are sure to enjoy.

Almond and Onion Soup                                    Serves 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 large onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly

6 cups of chicken stock or broth, reserve ½ cup for the almond grind

1 cup of white wine

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of parsley

salt and white pepper to taste

2 ounces of blanched almonds (is about 40 almonds)

The reserved ½ cup of broth

¼ teaspoon of cumin

6 slices of crusty bread, such as a baguette, sliced ¼ inch thick

Butter for the sliced bread

6 slices of Gruyere cheese, sliced 1/8 inch thick OR:

  ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup of sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish

Method

• In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil

• Fry the onion slices over low to medium heat until softened but not browned

• Add the chicken stock or broth , wine, bay leaf, parsley and salt and pepper

• Bring the mixture to boiling, lower the flame and simmer, covered for ½ hour

• While the soup is simmering, grind the almonds in a food processor or blender until they are ground finely

• Add ½ cup of stock and the cumin to the almonds and process or blend until the liquid is milky

• Strain through a fine sieve

• Pour the almond mixture into the simmering soup

• Simmer the soup an additional 30 minutes for a total of one hour

• Toast the bread slices and then lightly butter both sides. The buttering/toasting process is important so that the slices do not absorb the soup and get soggy

• Remove the bay leaf and parsley from the soup

• Put all the individual ovenproof  bowls on an ovenproof tray

• Ladle the hot soup into bowls

• Fill to the rim and place a slice of toast over the top

• Place the cheese slices over the toasts to cover and seal the top

• Place the ovenproof  tray under the broiler, about 6 inches from the heat

• After about 4-5 minutes, the cheese will melt and turn golden

Serve as soon as it comes out of broiler with a sprinkling of the sliced toasted almonds. More slices of the baguette would be good to accompany this soup.

Almonds are a wonderdul food,the most nutritious of all nuts. In a nutshell, almonds are very rich in fibre, vitamin E, niacin, biotin, riboflavin, and the minerals zinc, selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorus and iron.

Almonds are good groceries for you and this soup is a perfect showcase for them. Enjoy.