French Onion Soup with Crunchy Toast
Soup is the perfect antidote to winter. A big pot simmering on the stove engulfs your house with aromas that are comforting to the soul, and nothing warms you up on a cold night like a bowl of steaming soup.
French onion soup has a reputation for creating teary eyes in the making and bad breath in the eating, but if you can get past those things, this soup is a kitchen miracle. It transforms a strong and pungent vegetable into something delicate and savory, it is simple to make and it requires just a few ingredients.
The soup’s flair is usually based on the type of onion used. Georgia’s official state vegetable, the Vidalia onion, is my onion of choice because of its sweetness. If I wanted to get fancy with this soup, I would make my own beef stock, but since I said this was simple, I’m using boxed stock for this recipe.
Perhaps the best part of this soup is the cheese melted over the top. I get excited when I pull the soup out of the oven and the cheese is bubbling and running down the crock. If you let it cool for a bit, the cheese that has run over hardens. This crunchy dripping of cheese is my favorite part and I always peel it off to eat first. Traditionally, Gruyere is used because it is sweet yet salty and easily melts. If you can’t find Gruyere, use Mozzarella or Swiss; they are similar in taste and also melt easily.
Like many soups, French onion soup is best accompanied with a bread or cracker. Crunchy Toast is my selected addition because you can use the same baguette in and with the soup, so there is no waste.
I hope you enjoy my delicious rendition of the classic French Onion Soup with Crunchy Toast. Enjoy!
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people
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- 1 lb onions, thinly sliced
- 4 TBSP butter
- 2 tsp flour
- 4 c beef stock
- 1/2 c white wine
- 1/2 c sherry vinegar
- Gruyere cheese can substitute Swiss or Mozarella
- salt & pepper
- 1 French baguette
- 2 TBSP butter
- 1/4 tsp basil
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 3 TBSP shredder Parmesan cheese
Ingredients
Crunchy Toast
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- In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onions. Cover the pot and saute the onions, over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, until they are opaque and caramelized. Stir occasionally
- Sprinkle in the flour to create a thick roux and onion mixture. Add the salt and pepper, beef stock, wine and sherry.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
- Preheat your oven broiler.
- In small oven-safe crocks place two pieces of the Crunchy Toast and fill with the onion soup. Top with a slice of Gruyere. (Cheese lovers add more)
- Broil under a high broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- Slice the baguette into 1” slices and place on a sheet pan.
- Divide the butter so that each slice gets a small pat. Sprinkle with the basil, oregano and Parmesan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp.
