French Onion Soup
The key to a memorable French Onion Soup lies in the quality of the stock. The right stock can enhance the flavor, while the wrong one can dull the taste. For those who find their stock lacking, a dollop of high-quality beef bouillon can do wonders. We highly recommend the 'Better Than Bouillon' brand.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 large red or yellow onions approximately 3 lbs
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 8 cups of beef or chicken stock or a mix of both
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons brandy optional
- 8 slices French bread or baguette 1-inch thick
- 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
- A dash of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prepping the Onions
- Start by peeling and thinly slicing the onions. You should end up with roughly 10 cups of sliced onions.
The Art of Caramelizing Onions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot of about 5-6 quarts, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add your sliced onions and give them a good stir to ensure they are well-coated with oil. Sauté the onions for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently until they soften.
Getting That Golden Hue
- Increase the heat to medium-high and introduce the remaining tablespoon of olive oil along with the butter. Continue stirring as the onions begin to brown. This process could take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on your cookware and the type of onions used.
Final Caramelizing Steps and Adding Garlic
- To accelerate the caramelization process, sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar and kosher salt over the onions. Keep cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized. Finally, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Deglazing and Infusing Flavor
- Pour in your choice of dry vermouth or white wine to deglaze the pot, ensuring to scrape off any brown bits stuck to the bottom. This is where the flavor intensifies.
Simmer and Season
- Add your stock, along with the bay leaves and thyme. Bring it to a gentle simmer, then cover and lower the heat. Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes. Finally, season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. If you're using brandy, now is the time to add it.
Toasting Bread and Melting Cheese
- While the soup is simmering away, preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Lightly brush both sides of your French bread slices with olive oil and toast them in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until they're lightly browned. Flip the slices, sprinkle the grated Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, and put them back in the oven until the cheese is bubbly and slightly golden.
Serving the Soup
- To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and place a cheesy toast slice on top. If you have oven-safe individual bowls, you can also broil the soup and cheese-topped toasts in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
