A New French Onion Soup is in Town

It has turned cold here and I crave nothing more than hot drinks and meals. Apparently it is only going to get colder (or so they keep telling me) so there is bound to be a plethora of "warm you from the inside out" meals here for the next few months.

One of my most recent favorites is Gwyneth Paltrow's White Bean Soup, from her cookbook  “My Father’s Daughter”. This recipe was inspired from a soup she used to have at a restaurant that she and her father would go to in Los Angeles. She actually offers this recipe with two versions: French Onion and With Kale. They both are amazing soups which is why I prefer to combine them into one steaming bowl of perfection.

The end result looks like a yummy French Onion Soup on top, with slices of bread and melted cheese. Once you dig in, you have the reinvented amber brown onion broth that contains the white beans and kale. This is a soup that not only tastes amazing but you get great health benefits from as well. Kale is considered one of the healthiest vegetables around  and white beans are full of protein and fiber.

Who would of thought, a soup that tastes this delicious can be so good for you?

Here is my adapted recipe.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 fennel bulb, stems and fronds removed, sliced thinly
3 large garlic cloves, minced
Pinch red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
Coarse salt
1 bunch of kale, stems disgarded and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
8 thin slices baguette
1 cup of Gruyere or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium-heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the 15 minute mark add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. The onions and fennel will be slightly carmelized.

Add the chile flakes, oregano and pepper and cook for a minute. Add the beans and stock, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and add salt to taste, and let cook on low heat for 1 hour.

Stir in the kale leaves and let it cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until slightly cooked. Lade into four to six ovenproof bowls. Float two toasts on each bowl and evenly distribute the cheese. Put the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly, less than a few minutes. 

Serves 4-6.

(Note: I didn't use the fennel, as I am not a fan of the taste, and I don't find that I have to substitute it with anything)