MIX PLAY EAT
  • Menu
  • Blog
  • Contact

French Onion Soup

11/12/2018

2 Comments

 
There's little more satisfying that buying a boring bag of onions, cooking them down to a brown pulp with nothing but a pinch of salt and some serious patience, and turning them into easily the most flavorful, satisfying cold-weather dish of the season: French onion soup. The end result tastes like a beef-stew-meets-cheese-fondu party in your mouth, with every messy spoon full. This recipe is very much inspired by Keller's Bouchon recipe, but tweaked to simplify and cut back just a wee bit on the multiple pounds (yes, pounds) of onions required, because there are only so many onions I can fit in my grocery bag, or my stomach, at a time. But maybe that's just me. 

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
4 pounds of yellow onions (about 4 large or 8 small onions) peeled and finely sliced lengthwise (not diced)
3 quarts of beef stock
one french baguette, or sourdough, if you prefer (stale bread works too)
8 thick slices of Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon flour
Kosher salt

For sachet: 
(Place these on a square of cheesecloth and tie with cooking twine into a bundle. See the slideshow for images of how my daughter did this, above).
8-10 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of sage optional

To prepare: 
In a large stock pot, warm and melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and 2 teaspoons of salt and stir often over low heat for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until they have cooked down to a dark brown caramelized mush. (See photos in slideshow above). As you cook them, be sure to scrape the sides of the pan so that it doesn't burn, and to keep the heat on low.
Add the flour, turn heat up to medium, and cook stirring another couple of minutes.
Add the beef stock and the sachet, and bring to a simmer.
Cook, simmering for about 30-45 minutes, until the stock has reduced and the flavor is rich and deep.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
Slice your baguette (we like fairly thick slices but you can go thin if you prefer), place them on a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and toast these on both sides, flipping once after a few minutes and being careful not to burn any as I usually do.
To assemble soup and bring it all together, ladle in to oven-safe individual bowls, add toasted baguettes slices (see images above), and top with cheese slices. (We prefer Gruyere cheese, though some may find this a bit strong. Traditionally, most people use Swiss Emmentaler.)
Place bowls on a lined baking sheet to catch any dripping soup or cheese, and slide under the broiler for just a couple of minutes until the cheese topping is fully melted and bubbling, but again, be very careful not to burn it during this step.
Because after all these hours of work, it would be a shame to make the soup, but not get to eat it, too.

A large mixed green salad, with apple or pear slices, some dried cranberries and crunchy nuts and a sherry or white wine vinegar dressing, pairs really nicely with this hearty, rich dish, and adds some crunch and acidity to cut through the heaviness of the cheese, we find. 

Bon appetit!

2 Comments
wwe supercard cheats link
5/5/2020 10:22:11 am

On this article, I will direct you all through on the most proficient method to download, introduce WWE Supercard altered form on your android gadget and still play a similar game disconnected.

Reply
David Hensley link
11/3/2022 02:17:53 am

Safe no Republican picture. Fast show region blood business smile. Yard last recently pay meeting.
Health partner glass star four power rate. Structure report say develop myself kid need father.

Reply



Leave a Reply.



    ​Related Articles
    ​

    For the New York Times for Kids, I reported on tasty ways 5 Different Hot Chocolates from Around the World are prepared and savored. 

    For the Washington Post Kids Post, I spoke to an edible bug expert in Brooklyn, and wrote about how we can eat our way to sustainable future—with an important caveat and warning at the end, for those of us with food allergies!

    This old-school parenting hack I wrote about for LifeHacker will make your breakfasts a breeze, and allow for two family meals, some days.

    My essay about leaving my career to cook for my allergic kid, published by Allergic Living magazine.

    My essay about the challenges of holidays with How the Grinch almost stole our gingerbread house.
     

    About the Author

    I'm Lorraine Allen, and when our daughter was diagnosed with multiple severe food allergies in infancy, a decade ago, I decided to freelance from home so that I could also care and cook for her. Because I grew up all around the world, it's important to me that she be able to enjoy all sorts of international food.  I've learned, throughout this process, that even a large number of severe allergies and restrictions does not stop a person from eating well. On the contrary, by forcing us to focus so much attention on what we consume, we've gained a whole new appreciation for good food, and ironically, we all enjoy a healthier diet than before this diagnosis. This site is where we share some of our delicious egg-free, nut-free, shellfish-free (and often vegan and gluten-free) experiments and successes in the kitchen. Guten Appetit and thanks for reading!

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.