low-cal quick

sweet onion soup with porcini mushrooms

►►make ahead up to 3 days

Prep: 30 minutes Stand: 15 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Chill: up to 3 days Makes: 6 servings

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups boiling water
• 4 ounces pancetta
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 1½ pounds sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Maui, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup Marsala wine
• 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 recipe Toasted Cheese Bread (optional; see below)

1. Place porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl. Pour the boiling water over mushrooms. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart Dutch oven cook pancetta in hot butter over medium heat until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove pancetta; drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Chop pancetta; set aside.

2. Add sweet onions, garlic, brown sugar, and salt to the Dutch oven. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until golden, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, using a slotted spoon, remove porcini mushrooms from the liquid, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside. Reserve all but ¼ cup of the mushroom liquid (discard liquid at bottom of bowl, which may be gritty).

4. When the onions are golden, stir in mushrooms and Marsala wine. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the reserved mushroom liquid, the beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes. Discard thyme and rosemary sprigs and the bay leaf. (To serve today, continue as directed in Step 7.)

5. Cool soup slightly; transfer to an airtight container. Chill up to 3 days. Place pancetta in a small airtight container. Chill up to 3 days.

6. To refrigerate to serve later, return soup to the Dutch oven. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

7. Remove soup from heat; stir in pancetta. If desired, serve with Toasted Cheese Bread.

Per serving: 158 cal., 8 g fat (3 g sat. fat), 18 mg chol., 1,118 mg sodium, 16 g carb., 2 g fiber, 6 g pro.

Toasted Cheese Bread: Preheat broiler. Place twelve ½-inch slices baguette-style French bread on a baking sheet. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until toasted. Turn bread slices; sprinkle with 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (4 ounces). Broil for 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.