Vegetarian Onion Gratin

You know those days that you wish you could've just skipped? They usually go something like this... 

You wake up late, douse the counter with milk as you frantically try to throw together a bowl of cereal. When you get in the car to go, every red light seems to stop you. While you impatiently tap your hands on the steering wheel at the traffic light, you suddenly become aware that you have missed an extremely important deadline. With lots of deep breaths and reminders that you are one minute closer to end of the day, you manage to survive it to lunch time. Once your stomach starts to growl, you disappointingly remember that you left your lunch sitting on the kitchen counter.  As you go to buy lunch from nearby gas station, your rummaging hands can't find your wallet. Then the mental picture of your wallet "hanging out" with your lunch at home flashes in your mind. By this point, you are thinking "My day cannot get much worse." 

 *Sigh*  

It is typically on days like these, by the end of the day, you are searching for some comfort food. 

Okay so even if your day wasn't THAT bad, there are still those days your come home feeling run-down, grumpy, worn-out, discouraged, annoyed, irritable and are looking for a food "pick-me-up." Maybe your typical emotional-food of choice is a double fudge brownie or a greased-up burger. 

Not anymore. Your new "I-am-having-an-off day" food is the Vegetable Onion Soup Gratin. 

This soup is the ultimate comfort food. It practically plays a quartet of violins to your sour attitude. It pleases your taste buds, warms your heart, pushes the "reset" button, and best of all - nourishes your body. The dark and complex flavors seep into your soul and heal everything wrong about the day. 

If you don't believe us, we DARE you to try it. 

Vegetarian Onion Soup Gratin*

Ingredients:
8 c. onions, thinly sliced (about 3.5 lbs)

4 T. olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

1 t. salt

½ t. dried thyme

1 t. garlic, minced

1 T. tomato paste

4 t. soy sauce

8 c. vegetable broth

Pinch of cayenne pepper

6-8 slices bread (baguette is best)

¾ c. gruyere cheese

Directions: 

1. Heat 3 T. oil and the butter in large sauté pan and add onions, 1 tsp. salt, and thyme.  Cook at least 45 minutes, maybe longer, until golden brown.
2. In soup pot, heat remaining 1 T. oil and add garlic, followed a minute later by tomato paste.
3. Add soy sauce, broth and a pinch of cayenne.  Bring to a simmer.
4. Add caramelized onions, deglazing the pan by swirling a little broth around in it.  Simmer soup another 20 minutes. 
5. Preheat oven to 400⁰.
6. Ladle soup into 6 ovenproof bowls.  Place a slice of toasted bread on top of each serving and a sprinkle of grated cheese.  Place the bowls on a baking sheet and put in oven for about 2 minutes until cheese is melted.

*Adapted from Love Soup by Anna Thomas

Nutritional Information (10 oz. serving): 110 calories, 5 g fat, 2 g protein, 3 g fiber.