Authentic French Onion Soup
Hearty, flavorful, and garnished with luscious, melted cheese, this French onion soup embodies true comfort. By gradually caramelizing the onions and broiling the cheese, you will discover the key processes to create this traditional French dish.
French onion soup is commonly found on restaurant menus, yet it originated as a simple dish for peasants made with only onions, old bread, and water. Now, it’s somewhat more polished yet remains delightfully easy to prepare at home. The key is to be patient: onions must be cooked gently and slowly until they become sweet and caramelized. I enjoy incorporating a bit of flour to slightly thicken the broth and concluding the soup with two varieties of cheese—methods I acquired while working in a restaurant famous for its amazing French onion soup recipe.
“I prepared this last night and it was fantastic!” I believe it was even superior to the French onion soup we enjoyed in Paris last summer.
Ingredients Required for Preparing French Onion Soup
Butter and vegetable oil: Utilized for caramelizing the onions.
Vidalia onions: Provide a naturally sweet, gentle taste when cooked down.
Sugar: Enhances the inherent sweetness of the onions and supports the caramelization process.
Dry white wine: Clears the pan, breaking down the fond for a rich, intricate taste.
All-purpose flour: Adds thickness to the broth for a somewhat rich texture.
Beef broth: Creates the flavorful foundation of the soup, contributing complexity and richness.
Worcestershire sauce: Boosts the umami taste in the stock.
Dried thyme and bay leaves: Steep the broth with comforting, natural, and rustic fragrances.
Baguette: Acts as the foundation for the cheesy croutons.
Dry sherry: Contributes a mildly sweet, nutty aftertaste to the broth.
Gruyère cheese: Melts wonderfully, forming a smooth, nutty layer.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Contributes a robust, nutty richness to the cheese topping.
Advance Preparation: The soup can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (excluding toasts or cheese) or frozen for as long as 3 months. The toasts may be prepared (excluding the cheese) and stored in a sealed container at room temperature for as long as 3 days.
If you lack oven-safe soup crocks, arrange the toast slices on a baking tray, sprinkle cheese on each, and broil for roughly 2 minutes, until the cheese melts. Pour the hot soup into standard bowls and place the cheese toasts on top of each portion.
Fixings
- 5 - 6 cups yellow onions, meagerly cut (around 1 1/2 to 2 lbs)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups hamburger stock (ideally natively constructed)
- 1 cup wine (dry red or white)
- 1 straight leaf
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground sage
- salt and pepper
- 12 ounces swiss cheddar, ground
- 4 ounces parmesan cheddar, ground
- 1⁄2 crude yellow onion
- 2 - 3 tablespoons cognac
- 8 cuts French bread (around 1 inch thick)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, for showering
Headings
- Position a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
- In a pot, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and 2 tablespoons of margarine.
- Incorporate chopped onions and blend until they are evenly coated with the oil.
- Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent.
- To brown or caramelize the onions, adjust the heat under the pot to medium or medium-high temperature.
- Incorporate 1/2 tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of salt, then continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions are sautéed and fully reduced.
- After caramelizing, reduce the heat to medium-low and incorporate 3 Tbs of flour into the onions.
- Toast the flour for approximately 2-3 minutes, ensuring it doesn't burn. (If the flour fails to create a thick paste, you can incorporate a bit more butter here).
- Blend in approximately 1 cup of warm broth, scraping the bottom of the dish to lift the browned bits overall. Pizza-spaghetti-casserole.
- Incorporate the leftover stock, wine, sage, and bay leaf into the soup.
- Simmer for half an hour.
- To prepare the "croutes," preheat the broiler to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Drizzle a little olive oil on both sides of the bread slices and place them on a baking sheet.
- Prepare the croutes for 15 minutes on the stove on both sides (30 minutes total).
- Taste the soup for readiness and incorporate salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove the inlet leaf (if you are able to locate it).
- Transition to a goulash meal.
- You can now incorporate the 2-3 tablespoons of cognac and blend the 1/2 chopped onion into the soup.
- Incorporate a few ounces of the swiss cheddar directly into the soup and stir.
- Arrange the toasted bread in a single layer over the soup.
- Grilled-lamb-chops-with-salmoriglio.
Appreciate it !!!
