Edible Bowl

It’s incredible how we cook frantically at times, to fix a quick dinner or a short lunch. But often times, we crave for a delicious meal, slow cooked and simmered to perfection, with an enormous touch of seasoning. I suppose in those days, women spend most of their time in their kitchen, relaxing and taking their own time to cook. And I suppose that’s one of the best workouts, which keeps them fit all through.

Today often we eat out at work, microwave some pre-cooked foods or worse, grab a burger from a fast-food restaurant. Not really knowing (or rather caring) what's good and what's not. I suppose this is mostly the daily happenings with working women.

But, for all those days of fast-food, for all those days of eat-outs, for all those days of unhealthy-meals,
here is something with a difference. Inspired and adapted from Panera Bread’s soup in a bread bowl, dear friendly friends, I present you, savored and sweltered onion soup in an incr(edible) bowl.

SOUP IN A BREAD BOWL
[Serves 2]

• 2 medium Onions- thinly sliced
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth[Optional]. Use 1/2 cup Vegetable stock instead.
• a small piece of ginger
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 firm round bread loaf/preferably sour dough bread.
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp oil or more
• 1 tbsp shredded cheese(Optional)

Slice the bread at the top, just to make a slight opening at the top. Scrape out the soft bread carefully from inside the loaf. It should look like a hollow bowl. Place the bread bowl under broiler for 1 minutes(or less), just to harden the surface. This is done to avoid the bread from absorbing the liquid from the soup.

In wide pan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onions and leave it to cook till tender[do not stir in between]. Once tender or lightly browned, fry the onions over medium heat, till they become nicely browned(dark golden brown).

Add the vegetable stock and beef or chicken broth if using, along with the ginger and bring to boil, reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Mix in the chopped cilantro.

Spoon in the soup into the bread bowl, and top it with cheese if using and broil for just 30 seconds or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately with corn or tortilla chips.