Shamrock Irish Onion Soup

A wonderful first course for your St. Pat's Day feast. Puff pastry shamrocks float on a tasty Irish whiskey laced leek & onion broth. You'll dazzle your lucky guests! Trader Joe now has frozen leeks already cleaned & ready to go. I'd use 2 packages.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 8  leeks, white & pale green parts only, split lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (about 4 cups)
• 1  onion, halved, sliced crosswise
• 3 -4  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  Irish whiskey
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans beef broth
• 1  sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 of 17-1/2 oz. package)
• 1  egg
• 4  ounces  grated cheddar cheese (1 cup, finely grated) or 4  ounces parmesan cheese (1 cup, finely grated)

Directions

1. Wash leeks well under running water, separating layers with your fingers, as they can be very sandy. Slice and check over again for sand.
2. In pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced leeks, onion & garlic; cook 8 minutes. Add sugar and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring 25-30 minutes. Add whiskey; cook scraping up browned bits, about 3 more minutes. Add broth and simmer 15 minutes.
3. PASTRY:
4. On floured surface, unfold pastry. With 3" shamrock cookie cutter, sharply cut 6 shamrocks. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Beat egg with 1 T. of water and brush over shamrocks. Freeze 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375; remove shamrocks from freezer and bake 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on rack.
5. NOTE: If you have no shamrock cookie cutter, use a 1" round sharp cookie cutter. Using firm downward pressure, cut 18 circles from pastry. (Don't twist) Use a knife to cut 6 1-1/2" x 1/4" strips for stems. On ungreased baking sheet, form shamrocks by wetting edges of one circle and attaching one strip for the stem. Lay 2 more circles, edges touching, slightly overlapping first circle. Repeat with remaining circles and stems to form 5 more shamrocks. Brush with egg wash and proceed as directed above.
6. To serve, divide hot soup among six 1 cup heated bowls. Sprinkle with finely grated cheddar or any favorite cheese until it melts slightly. Float puff pastry shamrock on top and serve.