French Onion Soup
3 lbs yellow onions, sliced thin
3 Tbs unsalted butter
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup cream sherry
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme on the stem
3 sprigs parsley on the stem
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Toasted baguette slices
Shredded Gruyere cheese
In a large Dutch Oven or saucepan (at least 5 quarts), melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and a good pinch of salt. Toss the onions well to coat them evenly with the melted butter and cook over medium high heat until the onions are caramel colored, have released all their fluids and are quite candy-like/sticky in appearance. It will take 40 - 45 minutes or more. Stir frequently to prevent burning. There should be a good amount of fond (brown bits) on the bottom of the pan but absolutely no liquid.
Briefly remove the onions from the pan and deglaze it with some of the chicken stock, stirring up all the fond goodness from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the onions to the pan and add the beef broth and remaining chicken broth. Add the bay, thyme, parsley and some fresh ground pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Stir in the sherry and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove the bay leaves and herb stems and discard. Stir in balsamic vinegar, taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste.
Ladle into broiler-proof bowls and float a piece of crusty toasted baguette on top. Top with shredded Gruyere cheese and heat under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Note: If you prefer a less sweet soup, substitute a dry sherry. While I think the sweetness of the cream sherry accentuates the natural sugars of the caramelized onions, it's all about what tastes good to you. It's just soup. Adjust it to your taste as you desire!
3 Tbs unsalted butter
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup cream sherry
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme on the stem
3 sprigs parsley on the stem
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Toasted baguette slices
Shredded Gruyere cheese
In a large Dutch Oven or saucepan (at least 5 quarts), melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and a good pinch of salt. Toss the onions well to coat them evenly with the melted butter and cook over medium high heat until the onions are caramel colored, have released all their fluids and are quite candy-like/sticky in appearance. It will take 40 - 45 minutes or more. Stir frequently to prevent burning. There should be a good amount of fond (brown bits) on the bottom of the pan but absolutely no liquid.
Briefly remove the onions from the pan and deglaze it with some of the chicken stock, stirring up all the fond goodness from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the onions to the pan and add the beef broth and remaining chicken broth. Add the bay, thyme, parsley and some fresh ground pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Stir in the sherry and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove the bay leaves and herb stems and discard. Stir in balsamic vinegar, taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste.
Ladle into broiler-proof bowls and float a piece of crusty toasted baguette on top. Top with shredded Gruyere cheese and heat under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Note: If you prefer a less sweet soup, substitute a dry sherry. While I think the sweetness of the cream sherry accentuates the natural sugars of the caramelized onions, it's all about what tastes good to you. It's just soup. Adjust it to your taste as you desire!
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