French Onion Soup
French onion soup often a staple in restaurants, actually originated as a humble peasant soup made with just onions, stale bread, and water. Today’sversions might be a bit fancier, but this soup is still tasty and simple to make at home. The key is patience. The onions need to be cooked low and slow so that they sweeten and turn a rich brown caramel color without burning. In addition to giving the onions the proper time and attention, I add a bit of sugar to make the sweetness of the onions, and I also stir in a bit of flour to add ingredients to the broth—two tricks I picked up working in a French restaurant that made the best French onion soup ever. Finally, to add even more flavor, I top the croutons with two types of cheese.
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Mixing bowls
- pot
- cups
Ingredients
- 6 pound large red or yellow onions (about 3 pounds)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cup beef stock, chicken or a combination of the two
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, OR 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 tbsp teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 slices (1 inch thick) French bread or baguette
- 1 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
- Sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy based casserole pot over medium heat. When it starts to foam, add onions and stir to coat in butter.
- 30 min on medium low: Turn heat down to medium low. Cook for 30 minutes stirring every few minutes, until the onions have softened and are semi transparent.
- Salt, 20 min on medium-high: Turn the heat up to medium or medium-high. Add salt, and cook for a further 20 - 30 minutes, stirring more regularly, until onions are deep golden and sweet.