Nothing says 'Comfort' like soup

In my opinion, every person on Earth has a comfort food. This is the food I eat when I have LONG bypassed the kind of stress or frustration that Culinary Therapy can resolve. Comfort food is reserved for the days where you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you're feeling under the weather when the weather is the kind of 42 degree drizzle that feels like acupuncture when the constantly gusting wind blows, when you are physically, mentally, and emotionally drained and the idea of curling up and hibernating for a solid three months is exceedingly appealing. I don't think it has anything to do with compulsive or emotional eating, or the societal tendency toward overeating. At least for me, comfort food is all about association.

Take my ultimate comfort food, for example. I love Kraft Mac and Cheese. It is absolutely my all time favorite comfort food. Now, I know that seems odd, that the ultimate in comfort for someone who loves to cook is processed cheese product from a blue box, but mac and cheese was the first thing I ever learned how to cook. It was a favorite weeknight dinner for my family from the time I was about 5, and we have it down to an absolute science. I can wake up from a congested NyQuil sleep, starving, and make mac and cheese with my eyes closed.

There are a lot of variations on the comfort food theme. More than one celebrity chef has made a killing dressing up the basics: mashed potatoes, meat loaf, spaghetti and meatballs, chili, tuna melts, you name it, but it all boils down to something you know. Most of the time, it's a dish you grew up with. Maybe it's something your mom made you when you weren't feeling well, or, like me, the first dish you learned to cook.

I have a good friend who has stayed sick pretty consistently for the last few months. Because I have absolutely zero medical skill, when he calls me feeling poorly, my first reaction is soup. There are actual scientific studies touting the actual medicinal qualities of chicken noodle soup, and I have started branching out to other soups and stews to help him get well.

When I first started really cooking for myself consistently, I guess I was a sophomore or a junior in college. I had (well, still have) this fabulous friend named Jackie who was my fellow Culinary Goddess. To this day, we close emails with "In the name of Dill, I bless thy kitchen" on occasion. Between the two of us, we devised this absolutely glorious recipe for French Onion Soup. We recommend yellow onions and good white wine that you like. I use riesling most of the time.

I think I'll make some for my friend tonight. Nothing comforts like a good bowl of soup.

French Onion Soup

4-6 large yellow onions, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 boxes beef broth
1 T fresh parsley
1 cup white wine
1 baguette, sliced
LOTS of mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onions in the butter or margarine for 10 minutes, or until onions are tender. Stir in the flour, ground black pepper and the sugar to form a pasty mixture.

Now add the beef broth, water, parsley and thyme and simmer for 10 minutes, Then add the wine and simmer. The longer this simmers, the more the flavors combine and the more fantastic the soup becomes.

Preheat oven to broil.

Fill individual oven safe bowls 3/4 full with the soup. Place a slice of bread on top of the soup and cover with the cheese. Place bowls in the oven.

Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!