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Licurdia (Calabrian Onion Soup)

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Licurdia is a comforting Calabrian onion soup with sweet caramelized onions, grated potatoes, fennel, and spicy Calabrian chilies. Toasted Italian bread and bubbling Asiago cheese make it especially hearty and satisfying.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp lard (use olive oil as a substitute)
  • 1/2 lb gold potatoes, peeled and grated
  • 1 tbsp Calabrian chili peppers in oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
  • 1/2 loaf Italian bread or baguette
  • 1 cup Asiago cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Thinly slice the onions into 1/4-inch slices. Wash, peel, and grate the potatoes, then squeeze them in cheesecloth to remove as much liquid as possible.
  2. In a large Dutch oven, heat the lard or olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and reduced in volume but not browned.
  3. Raise the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, fennel seeds, and Calabrian chili peppers. Cook for about 30 seconds, until the fennel is fragrant, then stir in the grated potatoes.
  4. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir until no dry flour remains. Sauté for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the onions begin to caramelize.
  5. Pour in the chicken stock and raise the heat to medium-high. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven broiler. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls and place them on a sheet pan. Float a slice of Italian bread or baguette on each serving and top with grated Asiago cheese.
  7. Place the bowls about 6 inches below the broiler and broil for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Carefully remove from the oven and allow the bowls to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

  • Olive oil can be substituted for the lard.
  • Squeezing excess moisture from the grated potatoes helps the onions and potatoes caramelize instead of steam.
  • Keep the heat relatively low during the initial onion cooking so the onions soften without browning.
  • Use oven-safe bowls when broiling the bread and cheese topping.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://yumfamilyrecipes.com/licurdia-calabrian-onion-soup/