Creamy Roasted-Onion Soup

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds Oso or other sweet onions, peeled and quartered
• Cooking spray
• 1 whole garlic head, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads (optional)
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup dry sherry or Madeira wine, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Place quartered onion on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and light coat onion with cooking spray.
3. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves).
4. Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil.
5. Drizzle with water; wrap in foil.
6. Place wrapped garlic on baking sheet with onion.
7. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until onion is soft and lightly browned, turning after 30 minutes.
8. Cool.
9. Place onion in a large saucepan.
10. Unwrap garlic; separate cloves, and squeeze to extract pulp into pan.
11. Discard garlic skins.
12. Add saffron (if desired), broth, and bay leaf to pan.
13. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
14. Stir in 3 tablespoons sherry, pepper, and salt.
15. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
16. Discard bay leaf.
17. Place half of onion mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
18. Pour puréed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining onion mixture.
19. Return onion mixture to pan; cook over low heat until thoroughly heated,
20. Stir in 1 tablespoon sherry and juice.
21. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese.
22. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings