Cooking with wine: Fullers Five-Onion Soup
3 white onions, divided
3 leeks, white only, split lengthwise, rinsed well
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
4 large shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 ounces butter
1 cup white wine
½ cup sherry
½ cup brandy
1 quart chicken stock or broth
¼ cup flour
3 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
1 pint whipping cream or half-and-half
Salt and pepper to taste
Chives for garnish
1. Peel and quarter two white onions and finely mince them in a food processor along with the leeks, red onions and shallots. Sauté all of the minced onions in a Dutch oven in butter until soft.
2. Add the wine, sherry and brandy and reduce over medium heat by half. Add the chicken stock and again reduce by half. This takes about 1½ hours. While the soup simmers, peel and slice remaining white onion into 12 rings. Dust them with flour and deep-fry them over high heat in a deep pan in 3 cups of vegetable oil. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
3. Add cream to soup and bring just to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with onion rings and a sprinkling of chives.
From Fullers Restaurant.