Saveur: The New Comfort Food Read Online Free PDF Page B

tbsp. butter, sugar, onions, and salt and pepper in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to brown, about 40 minutes. Cover casserole with foil and continue braising, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized, about 1 hour more. Set onions aside and keep warm.
    2. Meanwhile, tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni. Put the herb bundle and stock into a stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Stir in the remaining sherry and cook for 5 minutes more.
    3. While the broth simmers, spread the baguette slices with the remaining butter. Toast in a skillet over medium heat, turning once, until golden, 5–7 minutes total. Rub the slices generously with the garlic cloves and set aside. Discard any remaining garlic.
    4. Heat a broiler and place the rack 6 inches from the heating element. Arrange 6 heat-proof bowls on a foil-lined baking sheet, divide the onions and broth between the bowls, and stir together. Place 2 baguette slices in each bowl and top each with about 1 cup Gruyère and about 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Broil until the cheeses are browned and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Serve the soup garnished with minced parsley, if you like.

Nighthawks at the Brasserie
    Before Paris’s famed Les Halles market moved out to the suburbs, the forts des Halles—strong men who worked through the night lugging meat and produce—made the nearby brasserie Au Pied de Cochon the wildest party in town. As Paris awoke and the market disgorged its workers, Au Pied de Cochon heaved with life; haulers and off-duty butchers (two of whom are pictured, in the restaurant in the 1950s) took their seats alongside Paris’s nocturnal creatures, who were only just winding up their revelries. Diners slurped oysters, dipped into bowls of the restaurant’s signature cheese-laden onion soup, and devoured pigs’ feet, another specialty, all of it accompanied by bottles of house beaujolais. The restaurant, which opened in 1946, is no longer such a raucous place, but across from the pedestrian walkways and souvenir shops that have replaced the market stalls of Les Halles, the brasserie’s neon sign still glows like a beacon to hungry passersby. And the onion soup is as good as ever.
    —Jay Cheshes

Matzo Ball Soup

    In Jewish households around the country, chicken soup is so closely associated with comfort and well-being that it has earned the nickname Jewish penicillin. With the addition of matzo balls, it is often served at the Passover meal. This recipe comes from saveur contributor Pamela Renner, who adds a little seltzer or club soda to the matzo balls to ensure that they turn out light and airy.
12 sprigs fresh dill
    3 sprigs fresh cilantro
    4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
    1 bunch celery, cut into ½ -inch pieces Sprigs from ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp. chopped
    3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½ -inch pieces
    1 turnip, peeled and cut into ½ -inch pieces
    1 parsnip, cut into ½ -inch pieces
    1 3½ -lb. whole chicken
    1 lb. chicken feet (optional) Salt, to taste
    2 tbsp. seltzer or club soda
    1 / 8 tsp. dried dill
    2 eggs, at room temperature
    ½ cup plus 1 tbsp. matzo meal
    Serves 8–10
    1. Gather the fresh dill, cilantro, garlic cloves, onions, celery, and parsley sprigs in a piece of cheesecloth to form a purse; secure with twine. Make a second purse with the carrots, turnips, and parsnips.
    2. Put the dill purse, chicken, chicken feet, salt, and 1½ gallons of water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 1½ hours. Add the carrot purse and simmer gently, covered, until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.
    3. Remove and discard the dill purse and chicken feet. Transfer the chicken and carrot purse to a