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French Onion Soup, but with Leeks

Source of Recipe

From "Food 52 Big Little Recipes" by Emma Laperruque


Recipe Introduction

"French onion soup isn't actually about the onions. It's about the broth, the wine, and, best of all, the cheesy toast on top. This isn't to say that you can skip the vegetable matter; rather, you can swap in something like leeks and end up with a just-as-great soup. Leeks are part of the allium crew, with an herbier, grassier flavor than onions, almost like oversize chives. Their timing is a plus, too. Onions were born to be caramelized, which takes close to an hour if you're doing it right. Leeks, on the other hand, would rather stay green (they actually become more bitter when browned), which means you can have dinner on the table in a fraction of the time. While classic French onion soup calls for broth, usually beef, this opts for water. Just trust. Though this liquid starts out flavorless, between the leeks, garlic, and wine, it turns into a lovely broth in its own right. And speaking of wine: Pick a crisp variety that you'd want to drink on its own. You're going to have most of the bottle left over, so you might as well look forward to it."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 large leeks
â—¦ ¼ cup unsalted butter
â—¦ 5 large cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ â…” cup dry white wine
â—¦ 4 thick slices bread
â—¦ 4 ounces Gruyère, grated



Recipe

Chop each leek in half crosswise, separating the green tops from the white bottoms. Lop off their hairy butts, halve the white parts lengthwise, and chop into 1-inch half-moons. Cut the green parts into ½-inch rounds. Wash and dry.

Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium heat, then add the garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the leeks, 2 teaspoons salt, and a pinch of pepper and toss with tongs to coat the leeks in the butter. Cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes to wilt the leeks. Remove the lid and cook for another 6 to 12 minutes, stirring every so often and lowering the heat as needed to avoid browning, until the leeks are soft but still green. Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom. Bring the wine to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, then pour in 5 cups water and add another 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

While that's simmering, heat the broiler with a rack positioned in the upper part of the oven. Set the bread on a baking sheet and broil until toasty. Flip the bread and broil until the other side is toasty, then remove from the oven. Evenly divide the grated cheese on top of the toast, then broil again until the cheese is gooey and starting to char. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper if needed. Ladle it into four bowls, then float a piece of cheesy toast on top of each.

Serves 4