French Onion Soup

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Anyone know of a great recipe for the almighty (and yummy) french onion soup?

[sharon kinsella]

Yep - Get in your car and drive to Hecks in Ohio City!

[Jeff Endress]

One of my favorites.....

Adapted from Julia Child

3 Tblsp. Butter
1 Tblsp Olive Oil
2 large sweet (Vidalia, Walla Walla) Onions at least 2 lbs. VERY thinly sliced
pinch or two of sugar
salt to taste
4 cups beef stock
2 Cups vermouth
loaf (baguette) french bread
1/2 lb. thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese grated

Melt butter with oil in shallow pan. Over low heat heat, sweat the onions. Uncover, and continue to cook, over low heat. The idea is to caramelize the sugars as the liquid evaporates, NOT to brown the onions. A pinch or two of sugar will help speed the process. The onions, when properly caramelized will be reduced 5:1. Set aside. Deglaze the pan with vermouth, allow to cook alcohol off. Add to stock.

Bring Stock to a boil, add onions, and reduce to a simmer.

Cut the bread into 1/2 thick slices and toast. Butter the bottom of a deep 8 cup souffle dish (or individual crocks). Place toasted rounds on bottom of dish, cover with sliced swiss cheese. gently pour hot onion stock over the bread rounds, cover the soup with another layer of bread rounds and the Gruyere cheese.
Bake in a 425 oven 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Optional Before serving, lift one edge of the crust and pour 1/4 cognac into soup.


Jeff

[stephen davis]

Jeff,

Don't know how I missed this one. Sounds great.

Sweet or dry vermouth?

Maybe you could describe the "sweat the onions" part. Not familiar with that term.

Steve

[David Lay]

Maybe you could describe the "sweat the onions" part. Not familiar with that term.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/ic ... 20-03.html

[Jeff Endress]

Steve

You only use sweet vermouth to make Manhattens....

Davids link is instructive. The key to this recipe is to force the onion juices out, with low heat, then to evaporate off the water, leaving only the root veggie sugars. Any color comes from the sugars as they cook, NOT from browning the onions. It is a slow process, probably taking up to an hour, but very well worth it. The flavors are incredibly intense.

The same process can be used with almost any root vegetable

Jeff