This recipe came from: http://thebusybaker.ca/crock-pot-white-bean-french-onion-soup/
*Pic 1 - From http://thebusybaker.ca/crock-pot-white-bean-french-onion-soup/
Variations from Recipe as Written: I used 1 tbsp of dried thyme (because I already had it on hand) instead of the 2 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves called for by the recipe. And, because I am a carnosaur, I added a smoked meaty hambone to the mix after the onions were caramelized.
General Thoughts: I am not exactly sure what expected of this one... I love French Onion soups because they usually pack great flavor, but they are not usually filling. While most bean soups are hearty and filling, but sometimes they tend to be a bit bland. So this recipe intrigued me because it seemed to promise the best of both worlds. The prep was really, really easy, particularly since I bought pre-diced onions at the store (sorry, chopping the onions myself makes me cry so badly!). Total prep time only took me about 5 minutes, which was terrific, but then (of course) it was a slow cooker recipe, so total cook time was about 8 hours.
*Pic 2 - Picture from when I made it
I was really counting on the meaty ham bone, slow cooked for 3+ hours in the soup, to impart some solid flavor to the mix, and for the most part, it delivered. Although it did not add to the saltiness of the soup as much as I expected, it imparted a good smoked porky flavor (go figure), and there is just something about ham in a bean soup that is hard to beat!
The diced onions, while not strongly contributing to the taste on their own, definitely gave the soup the feeling of French Onion. They were perfectly textured and provided a nice contrast to the firmer beans and pieces of meat. I thought the parmesan cheese and croutons were also good additions as garnishes and added to the textural variety (which I enjoy in my soups).
As for the spices, I thought the thyme taste overpowered the others (oregano, pepper, and salt), possibly owing to having used the dried rather than the fresh, but that was not necessarily a problem for me.
Potential Improvements? Not much, but I'd probably cut the thyme in half (if I used dried again), and maybe salt it a little more heavily.
The diced onions, while not strongly contributing to the taste on their own, definitely gave the soup the feeling of French Onion. They were perfectly textured and provided a nice contrast to the firmer beans and pieces of meat. I thought the parmesan cheese and croutons were also good additions as garnishes and added to the textural variety (which I enjoy in my soups).
As for the spices, I thought the thyme taste overpowered the others (oregano, pepper, and salt), possibly owing to having used the dried rather than the fresh, but that was not necessarily a problem for me.
Potential Improvements? Not much, but I'd probably cut the thyme in half (if I used dried again), and maybe salt it a little more heavily.
Polling the Fam: Because of the way this one was presented, I didn't get the more in-depth reactions from my eaters that I normally ask for. For my part, I really enjoyed it... I found it warm and hearty, with good flavor overall and the ability to satisfy the craving for bean soup I've had lately. This is a good Fall/Winter soup, in my opinion, and I would definitely make it again! Some of the other comments I heard were that people seemed to like it overall, although some were put off by the strong thyme flavor and thought it might have had a few too many onions.
Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)
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