Remember that braised lamb shank recipe I shared last week?  If you’ve got some of it left in the fridge, here’s the perfect way to use the leftovers.  If you don’t feel like you have enough leftover onions to make this, slice up what you need in the morning, then line your slow cooker with olive oil, toss them in, and let them caramelize down on the low heat setting for about 6-8 hours.  They’ll be perfect in your soup.  Use all the leftover broth and meat from the shank recipe to make this…It’s unbelievably delicious.

This recipe is a constant standby in our home. Even when ingredients start to grow slim, there is always enough stuff on hand to make a batch of onion soup, enabling us to create a rich repast from only a few ingredients. While most recipes for onion soup require bread, this recipe does not call for it.  We think it tastes better without it.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter

4 large onions, caramelized

1 cup finely diced cooked lamb, pork or beef

1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 cups meat broth (learn how to prepare it here)

Coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 ½ cups grated Swiss, Gruyere, or Cheddar cheese (or a locally-made equivalent)

Heat a soup pot over a medium flame. Add the butter, let it melt, and swirl to coat. Add the onions and bits of meat and briefly warm them through.   Sprinkle in the thyme, and stir well. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer a few minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with cheese.