French onion soup

January 11, 2017 Published by Dina

Sometimes I  just crave this soup but to get the one that satisfies my craving I have to make it at home.

It’s really quite a simple soup to make, you just need the patience to brown the onions slowly so the soup has the characteristic rich caramelized flavour.

You finish the soup in the oven with grilled bread and plenty of cheese that melts and gives the soup the unique topping that one cannot get enough of.

If you plan to make it I suggest you get the proper French onion soup bowls that have the wide base and narrow opening on top. The narrow opening helps hold the grilled bread in place (rather than sink into the bowl) and create a seal with the melted cheese.

The stock here is important – you want a flavourful stock. The classic soup French soup is made with butter and chicken stock. For cheese, gruyer is classic but other delicious cheeses such as comté or emmenthaler can also be delish.

Bon appetite.


French onion soup

French onion soup


Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 onions, halved vertically and thinly sliced
A pinch of sugar (helps with caramelizing the onions)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (not authentic but good)

7-8 cups flavourful stock (see note above)

Salt and pepper

8 slices of French baguette
8 oz grated gruyere cheese


Directions:


Melt the oil in a soup pot, add the onion and sugar and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the onion os deep golden colour.

Add the thyme towards the end of the cooking.

Add the stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook for about 2-0 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Set bread slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp.

Fill the soup bowls with the onion soup.

Top each bowl with 2 slices of toasted bread.

Top the bread generously with the grated cheese.

Place the bowls on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese in nicely melted and golden.

Serve immediately.


 

French onion soup

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