Left Bank French Onion Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 yellow onions cut in half, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup sherry
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 cups chicken stock
4 cups beef stock
salt, pepper
Sliced baguettes
Emmenthal or Gruyere cheese shredded


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Heat butter and oil in a large heavy bottomed soup pot.  Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally,  until caramelized.
2. Add white wine and sherry.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half.
3. Tie the thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth to make a sachet.  Add, along with stocks; simmer for 1 hour.  Remove sachet from soup. Season to taste.
4. Brush baguette slices with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake until crispy, 5-10 minutes.
    NOTE: on next few days when baguette becomes stale 20-30 seconds in the microwave will make it soft.
5. To serve, fill warm soup bowls with onion soup, float two or three baguette slices on top and add a generous sprinkling of cheese.  Slide under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts and caramelizes.

Recipe is from San Jose Mercury, David Bastide executive chef, Left Bank Brasserie, San Jose.  

Chicken Normandy

This is a wonderful creamy chicken recipe that goes great with red potatos or rice.

Ingredients

4 tbsp butter

2 apples cored and sliced (do not need to peel)

flour for dredging

4 whole chicken legs (with thighs)

Salt

1 large onion, peeled, sliced and cut into wedges

1/2 cup brandy

2 cups apple cider (the cloudy type)

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup cream.

Method

1) Sprinkle salt over the chicken pieces and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.

2) preheat the oven to 375. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large, oven proof saute pan over medium heat. Add the apple slices and saute until they turn a little brown around the edges, turning occasionally. Sprinkle the apple slices with a little salt. set aside on paper towels to drain.

3) Dredge the chicken in flour and place the pieces in the saute pain, skin side down. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Fry until golden, about 3-5 minutes on medium to medium-high heat on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

4) Add the onions and increase the heat to medium-high. Spread the onion slices out in a even layer to cover the pan. As the onions cook they will release moisture that will help deglaze the pan of the browned bits from the chicken. Saute the onions, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to brown, about 5-8 minutes.

5) Add the brandy to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any remaining browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the brandy boil until it is reduced by about half. Add the cider and bring to a boil.

6) Sprinkle in the thyme. Add just a pinch of salt to the cider. Arrange the chicken legs in the pan so the skin faces up and is not submerged by the cider brandy mixture. Place in the oven and cook, uncovered for 30 minutes.

7) Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside. Place the pan back on the stovetop burner on high heat. Add the apples and boil down the sauce by half.

8) When the sauce reduces to the point where it's a little syrupy, add the cream and turn down the heat. Taste for salt and add some if needed.

To serve, spoon some apples and onions on the plate, top with sauce and a piece of chicken.