Schuler’s Classic Swiss Onion Soup
Schuler’s Salad
Schuler’s Classic Prime Rib of Beef

Schuler’s Classic Swiss Onion Soup
(Serves Twelve)

Schuler’s hearty Swiss onion soup has been a standard on Schuler’s menu for nearly 30 years.

On one of Hans’ trips to Detroit, he visited former Jim’s Garage where he got a taste of a thick onion soup, unlike the traditional French onion soup which is a thin broth, and thought this is a keeper. He went back to Marshall, and Schuler’s version of the now famous Swiss onion soup was created.

Initially, the soup was topped off with dark German beer, which imparts a wonderful robust flavor. We found that more beer was going into the cooks than into the soup, and therefore, it was quickly eliminated. When served, this great soup with a light field green salad tossed with a light balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a loaf of multigrain bread, provides for a luncheon fit for a king or queen.

The beauty of this soup is that it can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated, and kept for a couple of days.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
6 cups beef stock or low sodium canned beef broth
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces dark beer
12 slices French bread
12 slices Swiss Gruyere cheese

Preparation:

Cook the onions with the butter in a small stockpot over medium high heat until the onions are brown but not burned. This will take about 30 minutes. Stir regularly. Sprinkle in the paprika, then add the beef stock and bring to a boil.

Make a roux at the same time you are browning the onions by whisking the oil and flour together in a saucepan over medium heat. Watch carefully and stir consistently so as not to burn the roux. It will develop a popcorn smell first and then slowly turn brown. (You want a rich brown color for this recipe.) Stir the roux into the soup when done and add the celery salt. Simmer for at least two hours.

Shortly before serving, sprinkle the slices of bread with Parmesan cheese and toast them in the oven. Add the beer and allow the soup to return to serving temperature. Remove from heat.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls or serving crocks, top with toasted bread and place a slice of Gruyere cheese over the top of each bowl. Place under the broiler for just a bit, watching carefully, until the cheese is melted, bubbly and slightly brown.

Serves 12

Schuler’s Salad

Win Schuler loved to create salads. The Schuler Salad has become a standby for years. Win would make variations of this salad and give it a great name such as "Happy Day" or "Lover’s Salad" (which he would tell the guests was only good for two hours). These variations might include tiny shrimp, slivered almonds, or even any available fruits with sweet and sour dressing.

Have some fun and create your own. You will be surprised what you can come up with. Just look in your refrigerator, you probably will have lots of items to chose from.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce
1 large hard boiled egg, chopped
1 ounce crumbled bacon
4 mushroom caps, sliced
2 tablespoons toasted almonds
4 fresh strawberries, sliced
2 ounces Sweet and Sour Dressing

Preparation:

Don't get too fixated on the exact quantities for the ingredients in this recipe. Part of the fun is to add extra bacon or strawberries into the recipe if that's what you like. Start with a mound of lettuce in the middle of two plates (this is a lover's salad, after all!) and arrange the other ingredients over the top however you like. Drizzle with the dressing and serve!

Serves 2

Schuler’s Classic Prime Rib of Beef

Nothing says "Olde England" quite like a roast prime rib. Some of these can get quite heroic in size but they are nothing more than a huge ribeye steak. Schuler’s always buys the best for a feast whether for 6 or 20 or more and so should you. You want to impress your guests.

Before spending all that money, there are decisions to be made. First, will the people you invited all eat red meat without a whimper or even with gusto? Do they like pretty much the same doneness? It takes only one dissatisfied guest treating everyone else like savages to ruin an evening. There is always better done meat on the outside slices, and if the oven is left on, a portion can be turned to gray in short order.

Suggest to the butcher that you would prefer a boneless ribeye with only a modest covering of natural fat. That way, you can snip the strings and bring the roast to the table. Once the impression is made, move the meat to a safe cutting surface and then slice it without any hassle.

I always suggest using a meat thermometer as your best insurance for determining when the great moment arrives to remove the roast from the oven. Let the roast rest covered in foil for 10 to 20 minutes.

Now you are ready to carve the roast. Plan ahead and have your cutting board ready as well as a sharp knife. Be careful when you take the prime rib to the table as it costs too much to drop.

Ingredients:

1 oven ready rib roast (the best you can find - ask the butcher for help!)
1 tablespoon coarse salt (Kosher or sea salt) and pepper
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 pound chopped onions, celery and carrots
2 quarts beef broth

Preparation:

Season the roast with course salt, pepper, chopped garlic and dried thyme. Place vegetables (large chop) in bottom of the roasting pan and put the roast on top of the vegetables.

Roast at 350° F for approximately 30-45 minutes or until the surface of the meat is brown. Then turn down the heat to 275° F and cook for about two more hours (everyone's oven is different) or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 120° F (when your meat thermometer is inserted at the middle of the rib). At that point, immediately take the prime rib from the oven.

Remove the roast from the pan and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in a warm place (covered with aluminum foil) until carving. **Important**--the juices need a chance to return to the middle of the roast and the temperature will continue to rise until the meat is perfectly done!

Remove the excess fat from the roasting pan (reserve for making Yorkshire pudding). Heat the pan on the stovetop until the vegetables are browned and the liquid in the pan has evaporated. Add the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pan making sure to get the entire flavor into the broth. Simmer a bit so that the veggies can release their flavor into the broth as well. Salt and pepper as necessary.

Strain the broth (au jus) into a gravy boat for service.

Slice 8 pieces per half roast or 16 pieces for one whole roast.

Serves 16