Tomato Tartare + French Onion Soup

Last weekend I got together with a few friends at a Thomas Keller inspired dinner party, generously hosted by Decatur Wine and Food Dude. I had an incredible time, drinking some killer wines (full list of the wines can be found on his post), but a couple of the dishes from the meal have been haunting me since last weekend, and I can’t wait to recreate them at home.

Dinner parties like this one are a fun & economical way to pool resources and try a ton of great wines, and it’s also a good excuse to pull out all the stops and get a little ambitious in the kitchen. I can’t wait to host something like this myself and pay back The Dude for his hospitality.

We started with a few snacks, including Thomas Keller’s Gougères. I probably ate five of them, still warm from the oven.

The meal officially started with the Salad of Haricots Verts, Tomato Tartare, and Chive Oil. Holy hell this ruled. The tomato flavor was so concentrated, it was absolutely stunning. I would never imagine the combination, but the cool, crisp blanched beans in whipped cream played perfectly with each explosive bite. The stacked frisee, chive oil, and reduced balsamic added to the incredible aesthetic and overall deliciousness of this dish.

Next up was the Bouchon French Onion Soup. This takes an exasperating 8+ hours to make, but once I tasted my first heaping spoonful of gooey gruyere, sweet caramelized onion, and well seasoned beef broth, I think any other onion soup I try from now on will be pedestrian.

The photo below is from Rowdy, I love the way they look coming right off the broiler. The splattering of cheese and broth across the sides of the bowls is an awesome display of unkempt perfection.

With the soup we had an ‘89 vouvray, which had developed the deep color of a well aged Riesling, and a similarly sweet palate reminiscent of apricot and rich apple cider. I would have never guessed it, but this wine went amazingly with the soup. Even though the onions were sweet, the pairing was more balanced than I expected. It was an absolute treat.

I’m already plotting my recreation of this soup, now I just need to find some old vouvray for the killer combo. I can’t convey enough how urgent it is that you get in the kitchen and try these recipes. And feel free to send me an invite.