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Onion Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Cooking for Comfort" by Marian Burros


Recipe Introduction

"Most of what passes for onion soup in this country would not meet the taste test. Onion soup should have a deeply, richly flavored stock, chock-a-block with onions and a generous layer of cheese on top."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus oil for brushing
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds onions, thinly sliced
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon sugar
â—¦ 2 quarts good-quality strong beef stock
â—¦ 1 cup dry white wine
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
â—¦ 14 to 18 (1-inch-thick) slices French bread
â—¦ 2 cups coarsely grated aged Gruyère (about 6 ounces)
â—¦ 4 tablespoons cognac, optional


Recipe

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Add the onions and cook, covered, until they are soft, about 15 minutes.

Uncover the pot and raise the heat to medium; stir in the sugar (which helps the browning process), and sauté the onions until they turn a deep golden color. Stir often; scrape the bottom and watch carefully; especially at the end, so they don't burn. Adjust the heat as necessary. Cook about 30 minutes.

Stir in the flour to blend well. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the beef stock and wine. Season with the salt and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Refrigerate, if desired.

To serve, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the bread slices on a cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, until the slices are dry and crisp. Brush the slices with oil on both sides halfway through the toasting and turn over. Remove the bread and raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Bring the soup to a boil. Stir in â…“ cup of the Gruyère and the 4 tablespoons of cognac, if using, and pour the soup into an ovenproof tureen or individual ovenproof bowls. Arrange the toasts on top of the soup and sprinkle the remaining Gruyère generously over the slices. Place the bowl(s) in the oven and bake until the cheese and bread is brown and crusty, about 10 minutes. Serve piping hot.


Makes 4 servings as a main dish,
or 8 servings as a first course