Real French Onion Soup Food

CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until softened, 10-13 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook 2 minutes longer., Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth, pepper and salt; return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush both sides with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Bake until toasted, 3-5 minutes on each side. Rub toasts with halved garlic. , To serve, place twelve 8-oz. broiler-safe bowls or ramekins on baking sheets; place 2 toasts in each. Ladle with soup; top with cheese. Broil 4 in. from heat until cheese is melted.

AUTHENTIC FRENCH ONION SOUP COURTESY OF JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Place heavy bottom stock pot or dutch over over medium-low heat.
• Add 1 Tbs cooking oil, 2Tbs butter to pot.
• Add sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil.
• Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent.
• To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium high heat.
• Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly.
• Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbs flour to the onions.
• Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (If the flour does not form a thick paste, you can add a bit more butter here).
• Stir in about 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits.
• Add the rest of the stock, wine to the soup.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Drizzle each side of the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet.
• Cook the croutes for 15 minutes in oven on each side (30 minutes total).
• Check the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer to a casserole dish.
• At this point you can add the 2-3 Tbs cognac and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup.
• Add a few ounces of the swiss cheese directly into the soup and stir.
• Place the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the soup.
• Sprinkle the rest of the cheese in a thick layer on top of the bread making sure to cover the edges of the toast to prevent burning.
• Drizzle with a little oil or melted butter.
• Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
• Turn on broiler and brown cheese well.
• Let cool for a few minutes.
• Bon Apetit!

RICH AND SIMPLE FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter with olive oil in an 8 quart stock pot on medium heat. Add onions and continually stir until tender and translucent. Do not brown the onions.
• Add beef broth, sherry and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven broiler.
• Ladle soup into oven safe serving bowls and place one slice of bread on top of each (bread may be broken into pieces if you prefer). Layer each slice of bread with a slice of provolone, 1/2 slice diced Swiss and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place bowls on cookie sheet and broil in the preheated oven until cheese bubbles and browns slightly.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, 45 to 55 minutes. In the beginning, you will only need to stir the onions only occasionally. As they start to brown midway through cooking, you will need to stir them frequently, scraping the fond (the brown particles) from the bottom of the pan. If the onions are browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly or add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and continue cooking.
• Add the wine and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any fond from the bottom of the pan, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are jammy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
• Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes.
• While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaves and add the sherry; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If the soup needs a deeper flavor, try a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. If it's not quite sweet enough, add ¼ teaspoon sugar.
• Adjust an oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on a baking sheet and divide the hot soup among the crocks (be sure the soup is very hot as it won't warm up much in the oven). Top each crock with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère and then Parmigianno Reggiano. Slide the crocks into the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the crocks cool for a few minutes before serving. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each toast slice with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide the soup among bowls and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The soup can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead (without toasts or cheese), or up to 3 months ahead and frozen. Toasts can be made (without the cheese) and kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days.

REAL FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are nicely browned, about 20 minutes. This step can not be hurried, the end result will be a rich golden brown mass of onion. This is where all your flavor comes from and can take a little practice. The darker you can get the onion without burning, the better the flavor.
• Slowly pour the beef broth into the soup, stirring to remove any bits of onion that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the sprigs of parsley and thyme to the soup. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Do not boil. Pour the sherry into the soup, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Remove the sprigs of parsley and thyme.
• Preheat the oven's broiler. Place serving bowls onto a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and float a slice of bread on top of each one. Sprinkle shredded Gruyere cheese over the top. Broil for 2 minutes, or until browned. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.* Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the stockpot. Stir in beef stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 15-20 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in white wine vinegar; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Preheat oven to broil. Place baguette slices onto a baking sheet. Place into oven and broil until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side; set aside. Divide soup into ramekins or ovenproof bowls. Place onto a baking sheet. Top with baguette slices to cover the surface of the soup completely; sprinkle with cheeses. Place into oven and broil until golden brown and cheeses have melted; about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.
• Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH A TWIST

Steps:

• Using a cast iron Dutch Oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.
• Add the sliced Vidalia onion, stir into the butter, cover and let cook for 30 minutes while occasionally stirring.
• Remove the cover and increase to medium high heat. Carmelize the onions which will take approximately 30 minutes. Stir frequently; do not let the onions scorch!
• Add the minced garlic and the thyme and sauté for a few minutes.
• Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits. Add the wine and scrape again.
• Simmer to reduce the wine to about half.
• Add the chicken broth and the salt. Cover and gently simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add ground white pepper to taste.

REAL FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• First, tackle the onions. Wearing gloves, peel the onions in a well ventilated area and slice into thin rounds or half rings (I use a mandolin for speed, precision and less crying).
• Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, add the onions (don't worry if they're spilling over the sides) stir well and cover with a lid (you may have to do this in 2 pans but you'll be able to add them together once they've reduced down).
• After a minute or so, reduce the heat and cook very very gently for about 40 minutes, checking and stirring every 5-10minutes.
• The onions should be unctuously soft by now, bathing in their own liquid. If not give them another 10 minutes or so.
• Remove the lid, stir in the sugar, turn up the heat just a little and gently simmer for another 20-30 minutes or so until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Be careful the onions do not burn.
• At this point you must stand over the pan and stir the onions constantly, for 10-15 minutes or more scraping the bottom of the pan if necessary so they do not burn until they become golden brown. Once this point is reached you can breath a sigh of relief!
• Add the vermouth and boil for a few minutes until it has completely evaporated then add the stock, bay leaves and salt along with a good amount of freshly ground black pepper.
• Simmer gently for half an hour, stirring from time to time then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
• Meanwhile toast 6 slices of French bread and set aside.
• When ready to serve, put a toasted slice of bread in each bowl, pour over the soup, sprinkle with grated gruyere cheese and grill until hot and bubbling.
• Serve with extra crusty bread and allow yourself to be soothed and calmed.
• You will be rewarded for all your hard work I promise!

RICH FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1¼ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat broiler. Place the bread on a broilerproof baking sheet and broil until golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Sprinkle with the cheese and broil until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Divide the soup among bowls, top with the toasts, and sprinkle with the thyme.

CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and the salt, stir, and cover, letting the onions soften for 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and let the onions caramelize until golden brown, stirring occasionally. (Adjust the heat if the onions are browning too quickly.) The caramelization process may take 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the stock in a saucepan over low heat.
• Once the onions are caramelized, add the wine and sherry to the pot and allow the liquid to come to a boil.
• Stir in the flour and smoked paprika and let thicken for a minute or two. Slowly add the warm broth, salt, and the pepper to the onions and boil uncovered for 10 minutes.
• Ladle the soup into the casseroles and cover the top with bread slices. Sprinkle each casserole generously with the cheese.
• Broil in the oven until the cheese melts and browns, watching carefully, a minute or two.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Peel and slice the onions. If you use the small, powerful ones they'll make you cry. Tip: peel them under running water. In a stainless steel pot, heat the butter until it melts and add the onions. No salt, no pepper, nothing else. Put a lid on and let them sweat at medium low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You do not want them to burn or the soup is ruined. Meanwhile put 1.5-2l of water in another pot and slowly bring it to the boil. After the first 10 minutes, take the lid off and continue cooking the onions until they are brown and caramelised. Stir often to caramelise them evenly and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to keep anything from burning. After about 20 minutes they should be dark brown, caramelised and about 20% of their original volume. Add the flour and stir quickly to keep it from sticking. After minute or so, add a ladle or 2 of the boiling water and continue stirring. Once integrated add the rest of the water. Simmer the soup until it has reduced by about 1/4. Taste it and add salt and pepper to adjust the seasoning. Distribute the soup into 4 oven-proof bowls. Float 3 slices of toasted baguette on top of each bowl and divide the cheese evenly. Melt the cheese under the grill until bubbly. Serve right away.

ONE POT FRENCH ONION SOUP RICE

Steps:

• Place a pot (like a dutch oven) over medium heat.
• Add oil to the pan and let it warm up.
• Add in sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, then add in the maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Continue to cook for about 10 more minutes until onions are soft and caramelized.
• Add garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add chicken, rice, beef stock, coconut aminos, salt, thyme, pepper and bay leaves.
• Bring to a slight boil, then lower the heat to low.
• Add cauliflower then cover.
• Cook for 15 - 20 min (or however long your rice package says), checking halfway through to stir.
• Then remove the lid and stir. If there is still some liquid, just stir uncovered for a few more minutes.
• Remove from heat, remove bay leaves and add gruyere on top and cover for a few minutes to melt the cheese.