Wrentham, Mass: White Barn Farm Onions, onions, onions

So, as per Curt's mention of me posting more about the French Onion Soup and other onion related things...here we go!
Being that this year was not the greatest at White Barn Farm for growing onions (the onion god must have been on vacation), there were quite a bit of what they call "onion seconds".  As we sorted through the onions and the pile of seconds began to grow,  it made all of us a bit weary. So, I spent one morning cutting up about 10 lbs of onion seconds to be used in a french onion soup and a caramelized onion pie!

Cutting out the seconds center

The Caramelized Onion Pie recipe:

• 3-4 lbs of onions (red or white)
• 3 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs salt
• 4 potatoes cubed, boiled, then mashed
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tomato sliced
• 4 oz (or more if you really like goat cheese) Goat Cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Press the mashed potatoes (boiled/mashed potatoes, half and half, and garlic) into a pie crust and bake for 35-40 minutes. Caramelize the onions, butter and salt together for up to 1 hour.  Layer the caramelized onions and goat cheese in the crust leaving a little goat cheese to be crumbled on top of the pie. Lay the sliced tomatoes on top and bake for another 20 mins. Voila!

Caramelized Onion Pie

 The French Onion Soup Recipe: 

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• 4 pounds red onions halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Table salt
• 3 Tbs balsamic vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups beef broth
•  6 sprigs fresh parsley tied with kitchen twine 1 bay leaf 

• 1 small baguette , cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese 
• 1 cup grated Asiago cheese

Caramelize the onions for up to an hour and a half.  Add the balsamic vinaigrette, red wine, broths, and seasonings, simmer for 20 minutes. We let the soup sit overnight, then at lunchtime heated it up, ladled it out, put the baguette on top (2 slices each) then added the swiss cheese and grated asiago and broiled for about 8 to 10 minutes! Mmm. 

TEAM WBF ladling the soup for lunch

Finished French Onion Soup

We made a double batch of the soup and got to enjoy it a couple days later when Curt's Parents (Teri and Flip) and Chris's mom (Patty), brother (Pat), and brother's girlfriend (Leslie)  came to visit!! 

Pat, Leslie, Flip, Patty, Kim, and Curt (missing Teri, Chris, and Christy)
Enjoying a wonderful sunday lunch!!