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Soup of Seven Onions and Seven Peppers

Source of Recipe

From "Tom Fitzmorris's New Orleans Food" by Tom Fitzmorris


Recipe Introduction

"This is a classic French onion soup, with a spicy twist. Try really hard to find the oxtails to make it. They're not essential, but they give the soup an ideal mouthfeel and flavor. Include a mix of hot peppers (eg, serrano, jalapeño, cayenne, cascabel) and mild (red and green bell, wax, poblano). And make sure you remember which seven onions and seven peppers you use, because someone will want to know."

List of Ingredients

◦  3 pounds oxtails or meaty beef soup bones
◦  3 bay leaves
◦  1 tsp dried marjoram
◦  ¼ cup olive oil
◦  1 each large yellow, red, and white onion, thinly sliced
◦  1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped
◦  1 leek, cut open, well cleaned, and thinly sliced
◦  Enough of 7 varieties of peppers to yield 1½ cups when seeded and thinly sliced
◦  4 cloves garlic, chopped
◦  ½ cup tawny port or sherry
◦  Salt to taste
◦  4 Tbsp snipped chives, for garnish
◦  2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, for garnish


Recipe

Heat a large soup pot over high heat. Add the oxtails or beef bones and brown until rather dark. Add the bay leaves, marjoram, and 1 gallon (16 cups) of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 hours (or longer if possible). Strain the stock and set aside, discarding the solids. (You can do this a day or two ahead and refrigerate the stock, which will congeal).

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add all the yellow, red, and white onions, green onions, and sliced leek, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have browned rather darkly. This will take as long as 30 minutes but is essential to getting the sweetness of the onions. Then add the peppers and garlic.

Add the port or sherry and cook until most of the liquid is gone. Add the reserved beef stock and boil for about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve the soup garnished with the snipped chives and shredded cheese.


Serves 8