French Onion Soup In A Sourdough Bread Bowl Food

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onions, butter, thyme and bay leaves. Cook, adding some water and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the onions are deep golden brown, about 45 minutes.
• Stir the flour into the onions and then add the beef stock, wine and some salt, and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
• While the soup cooks, slice a few inches from the tops of the boules and pull out the bread inside, leaving a 1-inch thick crust. Reserve the insides for serving with the soup.
• Preheat the broiler. Put the bread bowls on a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into the bread bowls. Divide the Gruyere among the bowls and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the soup bowls to plates and serve hot with the reserved bread, for dipping in the soup.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put enough olive oil in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan to coat the bottom, then add the beef bones. Roast until browned, turning occasionally, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Put the carrots, celery, onions, bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns in a large stock pot . Add the beef bones, making sure to scrape off and add any brown bits from the roasting pan. Add 8 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any scum on the surface. Lower the heat and simmer, skimming every hour or so, for 4 1/2 hours.
• Strain the stock through a fine strainer into a metal container. Set the container in an ice bath to cool. If not using right away, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for 4 months.

MIXED-ONION SOUP IN SOURDOUGH BREAD BOWLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch off top of bread loaves. Scoop out bread, leaving 1/2-inch-thick shell. Generously brush inside of bread bowls and lids with melted butter. Place bread bowls and lids, buttered side up, directly on oven rack; bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add white onions, leeks, red onions, garlic and shallot to pot. Cook until vegetables are dark brown, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually mix in Sherry. Boil mixture until very thick, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Gradually mix in stock; add thyme and rosemary and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes. Add cream; simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place 1 bread bowl on each plate. Place bread lid alongside. Ladle soup into bread bowls and serve.

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH FRENCH BREAD TOAST

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, melt butter. Add onions and sugar; cook over low heat until lightly browned, about 1 hour. , Sprinkle flour over onions and stir until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Add the water, salt, dried onion, bouillon, garlic salt and pepper., Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes., Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls. Top with a slice of toasted bread; sprinkle with cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes.

BAR BOULUD'S FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Method: Melt the butter in a large casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Put the garlic and sliced onions into the pot then immediately season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions until they have softened and released all excess water (about 10 minutes). Bring the heat down to low and allow the onions to caramelize slowly, stirring often, until they become a deep caramel color. This process should take about 40 minutes (depending on your onions, you might need even more time to color them seriously-be patient). Dust the onions with the flour and cook, still stirring, for an additional 5 minutes to toast the flour. Be sure to incorporate it thoroughly.
• Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until the wine evaporates almost completely.
• Take 2 sprigs Italian parsley, 2 sprigs thyme, 8 black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, and tie in cheesecloth to create herb sachet.
• Cover the onions with the stock and toss in the herb sachet. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer for 60-90 minutes, or until the soup has a deep flavor. Make certain to skim the soup often as it cooks.
• If you're not serving the soup immediately, set it aside to cool, then cover and chill it; the soup can be kept in the refrigerator overnight. Once the soup is cold, spoon off and discard any fat on the surface. Reheat before serving.).
• At serving time, toast the slices of bread-you can do this under the broiler.
• To Serve: Pour the soup into a large oven-proof serving bowl or into individual ovenproof bowls. Cover the toasted slices of bread with grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese, float the bread in the soup, and run the soup under the broiler until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• CUT ends of onions and peel outer layers; CUT onions to 1/4-inch thick slices; HEAT 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-low heat; SAUTE onions covered for 20 minutes; ADD 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon packed brown sugar (or 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar); RAISE heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until onions caramelize and turn a rich brown; ADD two mashed garlic cloves; STIR.
• REDUCE heat again to medium-low; SPRINKLE 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over onion mixture; COOK, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
• DEGLAZE the pan with the cognac and sherry, scraping bottom of SIMMER uncovered for about 5 minutes.
• STIR in the dry wine; SIMMER uncovered for 15 minutes.
• ADD 6 cups beef stock, 2 bay leaves, 1 fresh thyme sprig (or 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme), 1/4 teaspoon ground sage, 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper; SIMMER uncovered for at least 30 minutes.
• REMOVE bay leaves and thyme sprig; SEASON just to taste with just enough grated parmesan cheese to flavor the stock (no more than 2 tablespoons), and kosher salt, to taste.
• MEANWHILE, fresh sourdough French baguette bread into slices to place across soup in serving bowls (cut to 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick, number of slices depends on size of bread/serving bowls); SHRED 6 ounces gruyere cheese.
• DRIZZLE each slice bread on both sides with olive oil; BAKE bread on a baking sheet at 325 F for 15 minutes; TURN croutes over on baking sheet and continue baking 10-15 minutes, until bread is very toasty (it will be quite hard, which is what you want); REMOVE bread from oven; SET broiler to high.
• LADLE soup into four bowls; PLACE croutes into each bowl; COVER each croute completely to the rim of bowls with shredded gruyere cheese (about 1/3 cup for each).
• PLACE bowls on a baking sheet under broiler just until cheese melts and begins to brown (keep an eye on them, about 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes); REMOVE from oven; SPRINKLE each lightly with grated fresh parmesan cheese and fresh snipped chives if desired; SERVE and enjoy!