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You Asked For It: Outback soup in your kitchen

By Ellen Folkman, Times Correspondent
Published October 3, 2007

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Gloria Neville wanted the recipe for Outback's walkabout soup. It is a creamy onion soup with cheese in it. Debby Lunt, Marilyn Bradow and Nancy Eggert share the recipe with Gloria. Nancy also sends a Swiss cheese and onion soup recipe that she found in the Moosewood cookbook.

Over the years, You Asked For It has received many requests for recipes from large chain restaurants. St. Petersburg Times readers aren't the only ones who want these recipes. They have been so desirable nationwide that the once-free Web site Topsecretrecipes.com now charges for some recipes. For instance, Outback's blue cheese dressing is free; the honey-mustard is not.

Recipe requests

Susan Tamme grew up in the coal fields of Virginia and remembers a local specialty called oatmeal pie. She recalls that it tasted as delicious as pecan pie, but since pecans were so expensive this oatmeal pie substituted. She would like a recipe for it.

Shirley Buttacavoli has been unable to locate a cookie recipe she remembers her mom making in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She recalls that they were refrigerated cookies and that the dough possibly was cooked on the stove. Some ingredients were oatmeal and cocoa, and possibly coconut. The cookies definitely had chocolate in them. Shirley hopes someone can help her with a recipe.

Bill Fernandez relocated to Oklahoma and misses the Publix deli. He would like the recipe for Publix's Mardi Gras chicken wings.

Holiday recipes

It's time to start thinking about recipes you may need for the holidays. If there is a new recipe you'd like to try or a favorite that can't be found, request it soon so it can be published before the holidays.

Send requests to You Asked For It, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail youaskedforit@knology.net. Put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Be sure to include your name, city and phone.

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Outback's Walkabout Soup

For: Gloria Neville of Hudson
From: Debby Lunt of Madeira Beach, Marilyn Bradow of Bradenton and Nancy Eggert of Dunedin 

8 cups water

8 beef bouillon cubes

3 medium white onions

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

- Heat the water to boiling in a large pan. Add the bouillon cubes and dissolve. Cut the onion into thin slices, then quarter the slices. Add to the broth. Add salt and pepper.

- Bring the mixture back to boiling, then turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. While stirring, sift the flour into the soup.

- Continue to stir if any large lumps of flour develop. Be careful when you stir; aggressive agitation or using a whisk may tear the onions apart. As the soup continues to cook, any lumps should dissolve.

- After 30 minutes of additional simmering, add the cream and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Continue to simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

- Serve the soup hot after sprinkling 1/4 cup each of shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar on top.

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Swiss Cheese and Onion Soup

For: Gloria Neville of Hudson
From: Nancy Eggert of Dunedin 

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, thinly sliced about 4 cups

1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 to 3 tablespoons flour (depending on how thick you like your soup)

2 tablespoons dry sherry (Nancy uses flat beer)

2 cups water

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish (the white kind)

1 1/2 cups warmed milk (low-fat is okay)

1 1/2 cups (packed) grated Swiss cheese

White pepper

- Melt the butter in a kettle or Dutch oven. Add onions, garlic, salt and dry mustard and cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are very soft.

- Gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly, then add the sherry and mix well.

- Add water and horseradish. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes more.

- Add warm milk and cheese. After adding the cheese, stir diligently with a wooden spoon for a few minutes. Much to your delight, everything will become remarkably smooth and well-blended. Add white pepper to taste and adjust any other seasonings. Serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

 

[Last modified October 1, 2007, 16:04:45]