If we’ve had a conversation about cooking, you know about the importance I place in having a great kitchen knife. A quality knife allows you to safely, quickly and easily chop, prep and slice. Here’s what you are looking for in a great quality knife:

It should feel comfortable in your hand. It shouldn’t feel heavy or you will tire easily and it shouldn’t feel too big or small
It should have a clean sharp blade. Rinse and dry your knives immediately and store them in a place where the blade is protected. Sharpen your knife weekly and have them professionally sharpen every 6-12 months.
It should fit your budget! There’s no reason to spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy knife when there are so many good options out there that are well priced! @hastkitchen makes a beautiful minimalist knife that is reasonably priced, lightweight and has the most unfussy handle which makes it so easy to hold, maintain and control. Its blade is also super thin which allows it to maneuver easily through finer cuts and even tasks that require a paring knife.

Let's delve a little more into why Hast is a great choice for your chef’s knife. They did sponsor this post after all.

*Simple *

First of all, no frills. I get why you might want something overdone, I really do. But when it comes to knives, simpler is better. The fact that the handle and blade are part of one singular entity means nothing detaches after a few uses (been there) no gross food residue and bacteria hides under your handle (done that).

*FANCY*

Also it comes in GOLD! and matte black which matches everything.

*Light*

The design is also super light which means your hand doesn't get tired and your cuts are just cleaner.

*Sharp*

It's also super sharp which means (bordering on repetitive here) no tears when you cut onions!

Do you know what it means to not have to worry about your mascara when you are cooking?

*Price Conservative*

While it isn't the absolute cheapest knife on the market it is price conservative and a good investment because it's built well and has limited chances for getting destroyed. Especially if you treat it right. Plus with the use of code CIH15 you get 15% off!

Now here's the thing: a lot of people think I'm not a chef. I don't need a chef's knife. I'm okay with my tiny sharp knives from Boro Park (you all know the knives I'm talking about). But it could be better. it could be 100% more enjoyable to prep your food the way it was meant to be prepared. It'll make cooking easier then you knew it could be.

The inspiration for this recipe was the classic french onion soup. Obviously.

A classic french onion soup is made with beef stock made from real beef bones and has intense flavor throughout whereas the flavor of the kosher version tends to be petered out in favor of thick crusty cheese ladened croutons on top. I haven't yet seen a quality french onion soup that focuses on the flavor of the actual soup in the kosher world. yet.

This soup fully develops a rich and beautiful flavor by caramelizing a heapton of onions and garlic and just allowing those flavors to fully come to light. The result is an intensely beautiful flavor with thick richness that coats the tongue. The beef in the recipe allows for the soup to develop real body and heartiness. It's almost a hug from the inside out.

The addition of marrow bones is something that felt incredibly natural since we tend to use marrow bones in our weekly chicken soup. It's actually my favorite part. Over Succot, when I made this recipe twice, I sourced organic boat split marrow bones and was able to give one per guest. The experience with a slice of fresh sourdough bread, fresh thyme and just a sprinkle of salt was otherworldly. No matter how you choose to save this soup or make it, it is sure to please.

Please, for your own sanity, avoid heating the onions on high heat. All that effort deserves to have a great outcome and burnt onions taste gross.

If you are interested in a Hast knife of your own, click here to purchase.

Plus, did I forget to mention, you can use code CIH15 for 15% off your purchase? Chanukah gifts here we come!

Onion soup:

8 cups thinly sliced onions (i use a variety like red, vidalia, and shallot)
2 tbsp. oil
6 Cloves garlic
4 slices flanken or short rib
4-5 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
1/2 cup white wine
Salt
Black pepper
Marrow bones as per preference

Sauté the onions in oil over low -medium heat until they turn brown as caramel (don’t do this over high heat- burnt onions are gross)
Add the garlic and sauté another 5 minutes.
The whole thing should shrink down exponentially to about 1/3 of the original size
Add the balsamic vinegar and thyme. Caramelize another minute or two.
Sear off your flanken to brown in another pot. Deglaze with the wine and cognac or brandy and then pour it all into your onion pot. Add the broth, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and the cook for about 2-3 hours or until flanken softens. Add the marrow bones the last half an hour of cooking.

Make this ahead of time and freeze it or just saute the onions and freeze it from there.

Yield 6-8 servings