What does French Onion Soup have in common with many dishes we enjoy today such as Panzanella, Pasta Fagioli, Farro Soup, Ratatouille, Baked Beans, Cassoulet and many more? All these delicious foods were considered peasant dishes. Made from simple, inexpensive and easily available ingredients, the peasants who created them ate like kings and they didn’t know it!
Originating in Lyon, (often referred to as France’s center of gastronomy), French Onion Soup’s main ingredient, onions were easy to grow and plentiful. Cheese and stale bread were always around, and no doubt, animal bones also, left over from some rich aristocrat. History believes the French version of onion soup has been around since at least the 14th century.
Today, one can find French Onion Soup pretty much anywhere. From sandwich shops to fast casual to fine dining, French Onion Soup is a big seller. But even though one can find it easily, it doesn’t mean it is good. Often, the soup is over salted to make up for lack of flavor and the cooks lack of care, time, and attention. Often it is a risk when ordering so I rarely order it when on a menu.
French Onion Soup is easy to make and so worth the small effort (an temporary discomfort to your eyes) that peeling and slicing onions does create. If preparing the onions is a challenge to your eyes, you can buy a pair of onion goggles (they really do help with the process). Peeling onions never bothered me until I had Lasik surgery. Happily, now I don’t have to wear contact lenses, but the downside is my eyes are fully exposed to onion fumes, which can create quite a short lived crying session.
Here are some tips for discomfort free onion preparation.
1. Wear goggles and your eyes will be insulated from the fumes. You can buy onion goggles or wear ski goggles or swimming goggles. Make sure the goggles can “seal” to your face so the fumes cannot seep in. Warning… you will look quite funny!
2. Rinse the onion under cold water before slicing.
3. Open windows to create air flow.
4. While slicing, occasionally rinse your knife and hands in cold water and wipe away the onion juice on the cutting surface with a cold wet towel.
5. Place the onions in the refrigerator at least one hour before peeling.
6.Chew parsley when you prepare onions, this is supposed to disable the irritating fumes.
7. Buy the largest sweet onions you can find. The peeling and slicing process will move faster.
(I find using a combination of goggles, chilled onions and rinsing hands and cutting surface works best for me.)
French Onion Soup is not the new hot recipe and perhaps it is not exciting to most people's tastebuds anymore. However, if made well it can be one of the most deliciously satisfying and beautifully presented soups one can have the pleasure of enjoying. Make it today for someone you love!
This is a very easy soup to make. One just needs to have a bit of patience as the key to it’s deliciousness is sauteing the onions slowly over the course of 4 hours in order to develop their intense, sweet flavor. Plan to make it on a day you know you will be spending mostly at home and don’t rush the process!
Author:
Jennifer O
Ingredients
3 bay leaves, 15 whole peppercorns, 8 spring of fresh Thyme
1. Using a piece of cheese cloth, place the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme in the center and then tie up using kitchen twine.
Peel onions and cut in half down thru the root end. remove the tough center and cut out the root end. Placing the onion cut side down on a cutting board, slice the onions following the natural lines displayed on the onions flesh (about ¼” slices). Separate any slices that stick together.
In large heavy stock pot over medium high heat, add the Italian Classic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the sliced onions and 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook, stirring approx. every 15 minutes and regulate the heat so to ensure the onions don’t burn. Be careful not to sir to often as the onions need to have time to caramelize on the heat. Stirring is a delicate balance between browning and not steaming or burning.
This process will take about 4 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or more.
Onions are done when they are a rich deep brown color. They can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated.
Using a piece of cheese cloth, place the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme in the center and then tie up using kitchen twine.
Add the onions to a 5 quart stock pot ( if they have been chilled, reheat till hot). Stir in flour and cook over medium high heat, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef broth, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar and sachet. Bring to a simmer and keep at a high simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until the liquid is reduced by approx. 1/4.
Taste and adjust seasons to your liking. Remove sachet. Keep warm if eating immediately.
FOR THE CROUTONS
Arrange baguette slices on sheet pan covered with sil-pat or parchment. Brush both sides of the bread slices with O’Live A Little’s Italian Classic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Place under broiler (approx. 6”-8” from element). Allow to color to light brown golden. Remove from oven and flip baguette slices over. Put slices back into oven and remove when colored to golden.
Once out of the oven and while still hot, rub the clove of garlic on each slice (the garlic clove will melt into the bread slice).
The croutons can be made ahead of time
TO ASSEMBLE SOUP
1. Heat broiler to high
2. Using oven safe soup bowls place on sheet pan, ladle hot soup into bowls
3. Place two croutons on top of soup (do not push into broth)
Layer cheese slices generously so they over lap and hang down the sides of the bowls. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of slices to fill in any open gaps where you can see soup.
Place sheet pan with bowls into oven under broiler until cheese is bubbly, begins to brown and a crunchy crust begins to form.
Take out of oven and serve. Will be extremely hot, be careful!
