French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

Vegetable Stock:

8-12 cups of spring water
3 cups of baby bella mushrooms | cleaned, chopped 
3 bay leaves
1 whole zucchini | chopped
Spring Water

Soup:

4 tbsp of grapeseed oil 
2 white onions | sliced into thick half size moons 
2 yellow onions | sliced into thick half size moons 
1 large shallot | Chopped
2 tbsp of key lime juice
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1½ tsp of sea salt
¼ tsp of tamarind concentrate 
4 bay leaves
8-12 cups of vegetable stock

Instructions:

Vegetable Stock:

Add spring water to a large sauce pot, turn heat to high, add all ingredients and bring to a boil.

Turn heat down to medium low and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove bay leaves, then using a strainer, carefully strain stock.

Set aside and let cool.

Soup:

Add grapeseed oil to a large sauce pot, turn heat to medium low then add onions, shallot, thyme and sea salt. Note: The pot will be very full, but the onions will cook down.

Cook onions uncovered for 45-60 minutes, until they are caramelized.

Once onions are a brownish caramel color, remove thyme sprigs from the pot. Add tamarind concentrate, key lime juice and stir until well combined. Note: Key lime juice will deglaze the bottom of pot. Deglazing is a cooking technique used for removing and dissolving browned food residue from a pan to flavor sauces, soups, and gravies.

Add bay leaves and vegetable stock. Stir and cook on medium low heat for 35 minutes.

After 35 minutes, remove bay leaves and allow to cool before serving.