french onion soup
Make sure to start with large fresh Spanish onions–they should be firm and the skins should be tight and shiny. Cut them in half from root to end, peel them, and place cut side down to thinly slice.
Heat a heavy soup pot over medium low heat and add butter to melt. Pile in the sliced onions–they should loosely fill the pot–and cook down slowly for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the onions have reduced and are starting to color, add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs to the pot. Also add a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Continue to cook onions, stirring more frequently so they’ll caramelize evenly, for another 20 minutes.
Now the onions should be translucent, golden, and cooked all the way down. Add the sherry and white wine to the pot. Turn the heat up slightly to boil off the alcohol and reduce. When the liquid is almost fully absorbed, sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the onions, and stir to blend. Saute for a couple of minutes to cook off the flour taste.
Some recipes for French onion soup call for only beef stock. I prefer a mixture of both because I like to use my homemade chicken stock, but I also like the denseness of flavor that beef stock lends to the soup. If you don’t have homemade, be sure to use a low sodium broth so you can control the salt content. Add the stocks and bring back to the simmer, continuing to cook the soup for another 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste for seasoning, adding kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
While the soup simmers, make the baguette croutons. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Slice a day-old baguette on the bias, laying the slices on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven to dry out for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bread and raise the temperature in the oven to 450 degrees.
When the soup is ready, ladle into deep, ovenproof bowls, which are placed on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Place the croutons on top of the soup and thickly pile on grated gruyere. Place the bowls in the upper third of the oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and brown.
Serve that hot golden, bubbly goodness immediately. A green salad and a bottle of wine complete this soul-satisfying meal.
Serves 4 to 6:
4 to 5 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 bay leaves
2 large sprigs of thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup sherry
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon flour
6 cups homemade, or low sodium chicken stock
2 cups low sodium beef stock
1 French baguette, sliced on the bias
3/4 pound French gruyere, thickly grated