Sweet Onion Soup With Fried Cheese Tortellini

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Sweet Onion Soup With Fried Cheese Tortellini
Serves 6 to 8
Meal type Cheese, Chicken Broth, Tarragon, Tortellini
Season Fall, Spring
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, copyright 2001, from Prime Time Emeril: More TV Dinners from America's Favorite Chef

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 6 cups thinly sliced sweet onions

  • 2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 10 garlic cloves

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil

  • 2 quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

  • 2 cups diced day-old French bread (crusts removed), 1-inch cubes

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

  • Vegetable oil for deep frying

  • 16 cheese tortellini, completely thawed if frozen

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1 Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon of the Essence, the salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
2 Cook, stirring, until the onions are just golden, 15 minutes.
3 Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the tarragon, oregano, basil, and stock and bring to a boil.
4 Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
5 Add the bread and cream. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, whisking often, until the bread dissolves and the soup is thickened, about 10 minutes.
6 Remove and discard the bay leaves.
7 Using an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or blender, puree the soup.
8 Add the cheese and adjust the seasonings to taste. Cover and keep the soup warm over very low heat.
9 Pour enough oil into a deep heavy pot or electric deep fryer to come halfway up the sides and heat over medium-high heat to 360 degrees F.
10 In batches, carefully add the tortellini to the hot oil and deep-fry, turning frequently with a long-handled slotted spoon, until golden brown, 1-2 minutes
11 Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of Essence.
12 Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with the fried tortellini and parsley.