I am a French Onion Soup addict. I just love it. Big strong flavours with gooey cheese are just so wonderful. Here is how I make it.
One of the major differences with my French Onion Soup is I use consommé instead of beef stock. The clarified consommé has a richer taste.
Slice 1 medium onion thinly by halving it and then slicing thinly lengthwise. You are looking for 400 grams (14 ounces) of sliced onion. This seems like a lot of onion, but it cooks down considerably.
Melt 15 ml (1 tbsp) of butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt, and 1 ml (1/4 tsp) sugar. Stir and cover the saucepan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and cook until all liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring frequently until the onions are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Add 1 ml (1/4 tsp) dried thyme and 1 bay leaf to the onions and sauté for 1 minute.
Measure 530 ml (2 1/4 cups) of consommé. Pour about 50 ml (1/4 cup) of the consommé into the saucepan and use it to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the remaining consommé and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
Remove the bay leaf. and preheat your broiler.
Divide the soup between two heat proof crocks. Cover each soup with 2 slices of toasted baguette.
Divide 75 ml (1/3 cup) of grated gruyere over each bowl. Divide 10 ml (2 tsp) of grated Parmesan over each bowl.
Put the crocks under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve, warning guests that the crocks are extremely hot.
The Verdict
Oh my. I do love this dish. The long slow cooking of the onions makes them sweet. The rich deep flavour of the consommé is so perfect with the onions. The bread soaking up the soup and covered with the luscious, melted cheese is so tasty.
Dang. I really need to make more!
The Old Fat Guy
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 400 grams (14 ounces) thinly slice onion
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) butter
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) sugar
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 530 ml (2 1/4 cups) consommé
- 4 slices baguette, toasted
- 75 ml (1/3 cup) grated gruyere cheese
- 10 ml (2 tsp) grated parmesan
Instructions
- Slice 1 large onion thinly by halving it and then slicing thinly lengthwise. You are looking for 400 grams (14 ounces) of sliced onion. This seems like a lot of onion, but it cooks down considerably.
- Melt 15 ml (1 tbsp) of butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt, and 1 ml (1/4 tsp) sugar. Stir and cover the saucepan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover and cook until all liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring frequently until the onions are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
- Add 1 ml (1/4 tsp) dried thyme and 1 bay leaf to the onions and sauté for 1 minute.
- Measure 530 ml (2 1/4 cups) of consommé. Pour about 50 ml (1/4 cup) of the consommé into the saucepan and use it to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the remaining consommé and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
- Remove the bay leaf. and preheat your broiler.
- Divide the soup between two heat proof crocks. Cover each soup with 2 slices of toasted baguette.
- Divide 75 ml (1/3 cup) of grated gruyere over each bowl. Divide 10 ml (2 tsp) of grated Parmesan over each bowl.
- Put the crocks under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve, warning guests that the crocks are extremely hot.