I love French Onion Soup! Especially when baked in individual crocks with French bread rounds and cheese. I started with Julia Child’s Soupe ‘a l’Oignon Gratinee and tweaked it. I wanted the deepest flavor from my onions, so instead of 40 minutes, I carmelize my onions for an entire hour on very low heat. The extra time is worth it, believe me. Another part of Julia’s recipe that I altered was the amount of time to cook the soup once the beef stock is added – again, I simmer for at least an hour; what you are left with is the most flavorful onion soup you have ever tasted! For serving, I use Le Creuset’s petite casseroles, but any single serving, oven-safe crock will do. The one part of Julia’s recipe that I insist you don’t skimp on is the addition of Cognac just before pouring the soup into your serving vessels. I know good Cognac is expensive, but a few tablespoons is all that is needed to give this soup a beautiful finish.
MJ’s Very Rich French Onion Soup
Serves 6-8
1½ lbs. or about 5 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions
(If you have a food scale, I recommend weighing your sliced onions to achieve a more accurate measurement)
3 Tb unsalted butter
1Tb vegetable or canola oil
A heavy-bottomed, 4 quart covered saucepan or French oven with a lid
1 tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. sugar (key to good caramelization of onions)
3 Tb flour
2 ½ quarts good beef stock, brought to a boil
½ cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth (preferred by MJ)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tb Cognac
6-8 individual oven-safe soup pots
1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
12-16 ¼ inch rounds of toasted French bread or large, freshly made croutons
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (or more to taste)
Good olive oil
Heat butter and oil and add sliced onions; toss until well coated and cover. Cook for 15 minutes on medium/low, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and stir in salt and sugar. Cook for one hour, stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep-golden brown. If your stove runs hot, turn temperature down to low. Whatever you do, don’t skimp on time here – an entire hour will give you the richness that this soup truly requires and you’ll thank me.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes.
Off heat, blend in the boiling beef stock. Add the vermouth and season to taste. Simmer partially covered for one hour, skimming occasionally. Again, do you and your dinner guests the favor of NOT skimping on time here.
Note: The above can be done in advance. Simply reheat your soup to boiling and continue with serving instructions.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Stir in the cognac and divide soup into the soup pots. Divide the Parmesan cheese and stir into pots. Float French bread rounds or large, freshly made croutons on top of the soup. Spread the grated Gruyere over and sprinkle with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, then set for a minute or two under a broiler to brown the top lightly. Serve immediately and ENJOY!
I know you will….
