French Onion Steak Soup

Well here we are in the mid-week slump but at least the rain has finally let up some in PDX, it feels like a breath of fresh air.  It will be nice to get out of town this weekend and maybe away from the rain.  We are headed up to Hood River to visit my grandma, make her a delicious dinner, and relax.  Then on Sunday it is the premiere of the new X-Files which I am beyond excited for as it was one of my favorite shows when I was younger.  I've even invited a group of friends over to watch it and munch on yummy appetizers.  Today is national cheese lover's day so this recipe is perfect for you to make tonight!  And yes I have found yet another french onion style meal to make and trust me you will really enjoy it.  I adapted this recipe and also got so excited to eat it that I forgot to take a picture.  So the photo credit goes to the original blogger Christie, and I made this gluten free so I didn't use any bread.

Serves 4

The Ingredients
1 lb. steak
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons almond flour
1 cup Belgian brown ale
1 cup beef broth
1 cup beef consomme
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp. kosher salt, to taste
1/8-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
8 slices of Swiss cheese (two per bowl)


The Process
1.  Trim the steak to remove the fat rind and any visible cartilage. Cut into ½-inch cubes. Toss with salt and pepper.  Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the steak and brown for about 5-6 minutes.

2.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the flour and cook 2-3 minutes to make a roux.

3.  Add the beer and de-glaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the beef broth, beef consomme, thyme, bay leaf and salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes. (The longer it cooks, the more tender the steak will be).

4.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Ladle into a ramekin or oven-safe soup dish. Top with two slices of Swiss cheese for each bowl.

5.  Place the bowls on a pan and heat in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts and browns. If you have soup bowls that can withstand 500 degrees, you can place them under the broiler to melt the cheese faster.