Multicooker French Onion Soup

1. Combine onions, broth, and bay leaf in a 6-qt. electric multicooker or in a pan. Use sauté setting on high to simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes to meld flavors, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, preheat broiler to high.

2. Remove bay leaf. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place a slice of baguette in each bowl and sprinkle generously with cheese. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 3 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly. If you like, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serves 4.

Make the Multicooker Caramelized Onions

1. Cut tops and bottoms off onions; set on the root end and cut onions in half vertically. Slice onion halves from top to bottom into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. In a 6-qt. electric multicooker use sauté setting on high to melt butter. Cook 2 minutes or until butter begins to brown. Press cancel setting. Add onions, thyme, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper; stir to combine. Lock lid and adjust steam valve to seal. Set cooker on high pressure to cook 2 minutes. Immediately release pressure. Carefully open lid.

2. Drain off and discard excess liquid in multicooker pot. Return pot to multicooker. Use sauté setting on high to cook onions 12 minutes or until onions begin to brown and there are browned bits on bottom of pot, stirring only twice.

3. Discard thyme sprigs (if using). Add the water; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is mostly evaporated, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Makes 2 cups.

Make the Multicooker Beef Broth

1. In a 6-qt. electric multicooker use sauté setting on high to heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Season roast with 1 tsp. salt. Add roast to multicooker; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides, turning roast once. Remove roast from multicooker.

2. Add 1/2 cup water to the multicooker and stir to scrape up browned bits on bottom of pot. Press cancel setting.

3. Return roast to multicooker. Add 7 1/2 cups cold water, the beef bones, onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, tomato paste, thyme (if using), and bay leaf. Lock lid and adjust steam valve to seal. Set cooker on high pressure to cook 1 hour. Let stand 45 to 55 minutes to release pressure naturally. Carefully open lid.

4. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heatproof bowl. Reserve roast meat for another purpose; discard bay leaf and remaining solids.

5. Stir soy sauce and 1/2 tsp. black pepper into broth. Taste and, if you like, add additional soy sauce and pepper. Refrigerate until completely chilled. Remove and discard any fat that has hardened on the surface of the broth. Store broth in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Makes 7 to 8 cups broth.

Tips

No liquid is used to cook the onions in this recipe because they contain enough moisture to create the necessary steam to bring the pot up to pressure. Cutting the onions vertically into thick slices prevents them from becoming stringy. Use these to make French onion soup or pasta (see recipes), quiche, or mixed with equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise for a decadent French onion dip.

To make French Onion Soup

Proceed with recipe, deglazing the pot with dry sherry instead of white wine. Press Cancel. Add 6 cups beef or mushroom broth, 1 bay leaf. Select the Sauté function and adjust to high. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded, 15 minutes. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls set on a rimmed baking sheet. Place a slice of stale baguette in each bowl and sprinkle generously with shredded Gruyere cheese. Slide baking sheet under broiler and broil until the cheese is browned and bubbly, 3 minutes.

Tips

Multicookers excel at extracting all the flavor from bones to make rich broth in a third of the time. Beef chuck roast adds a flavor boost, and you can use the meat for soup or a rich mushroom pasta dish (see recipe). Be sure to allow the steam to release naturally - quick-releasing the pressure when making broth can result in dangerous oily splatters from the release valve.