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Classic French Onion Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Bon Appétit, Y'all" by Virginia Willis


Recipe Introduction

"Mama loves this soup. What's not to love? It's a hearty bowl of sweet, brown, caramelized onions in a rich beef broth, enriched with a dose of sherry and topped with deliciously nutty, golden brown, melted Gruyère cheese. Why does Gruyère taste so good? Aged, low-moisture cheeses such as Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano have a stronger protein structure than younger, softer cheeses like fontina or fresh mozzarella, and require higher temperatures to melt. The higher heat, combined with less moisture, causes the protein to actually break down, bringing out their nutty flavor."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ 6 onions, preferably Vidalia, sliced
â—¦ 2 leeks, white and pale green parts, well washed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced into half-moons
â—¦ 1 shallot, chopped
â—¦ Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 teaspoon sugar
â—¦ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
â—¦ ½ cup dry sherry
â—¦ 6 cups beef stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium beef broth
â—¦ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
â—¦ 1 baguette, sliced diagonally ½ inch thick
â—¦ 3 cups grated Gruyère cheese (about 12 ounces)
â—¦ Snipped fresh chives, for garnish


Recipe

To caramelize the onions, in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions, leeks, and shallot. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring as needed to keep the onions from sticking, until the onions are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize, 30 to 45 minutes.

To prepare the soup, sprinkle the flour over the onions, and stir to coat. Add the sherry, stock, and thyme and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler. To serve, ladle hot soup into 6 ovenproof bowls. Arrange the bowls on a baking sheet. Place one or two slices of baguette over each bowl of soup. Top each bowl with ½ cup grated cheese so it covers the baguette slices. Broil until the cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges. (Watch carefully so the bread doesn't burn.) Garnish with the chives. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6