French Onion Soup
French Onion Soup
A Classical French Masterpiece!
WOW WOW WOW! Can I just say…. this was an experience. Making French Onion Soup for the first time was an experience, and indulging in this decadent soup was an a savory experience for my taste buds. I honestly had a hard time not eating it straight out of the pot!
The classic French Onion Soup really is a soup unlike any other.
Most soups can be carelessly thrown in a pot with any assortment of random vegetables and broth. However, onions are the star of this soup… caramelized to perfection, marinated in beef broth, and drenched in all your favorite things… wine, cheese & bread.
It has been a French national treasure since the 18th Century, so there has got to be a real art & science to making this. My next endeavor is to find a real French woman to teach me to make this soup the extra French way..
There are many many recipes & variations; however, I adapted this recipe directly from a Julia Child’s recipe.
It is wonderful to warm your belly on a winter’s day. The French Onion Soup is the epitome of comfort meets decadence.
You will need…
A Dutch Oven or a Large Pot
The Basics… Butter, Flour, Sugar, Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil
Onions
Beef Broth (even better if its homemade)
White Wine (Dry)
Swiss or Guyere Cheese ( I found a shredded mix from Trader Joe’s that was perfect)
French Bread or a Baguette
Cognac (Optional)
Steps…
Thinly slice 2 Yellow Onions.. A mandolin tool is super helpful for this and makes such big difference.
Cook in Butter in a stock pot or dutch oven on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
Add 1/4 tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt to carmelize. Also add 2 TBS of Flour to make a roux. Continue to brown for a 3 minutes. Lower the heat to prevent burning.
Slowly stir in the 3 cups of Beef Broth and 1/4 cup of White Wine.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Slice a Baguette or French Bread into 1 inch thick slices. Drizzle each side with Olive Oil on a baking sheet and bake on 325 degrees. You will bake for 15 minutes each side.
Once the soup has been simmering, check it for taste, and add Salt & Pepper if needed.
Add Cognac (optional) and a 1/2 a raw onion into soup. As well as a large helping of Swiss/Gueyere Cheese and stir. Layer the “croutes” of bread evening across the dish. Push them down to let them soak in the soup. Add the rest of the cheese on top.
Carefully move the dutch oven of soup into the oven, or transfer the soup into a casserole baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. You can also add the soup to individual soufflé dishes.
Once done baking you can broil it for a couple minutes to brown the cheese.
Let cool and Enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
