Classic French Onion Soup Soupe à Loignon Recipes

ANTHONY BOURDAIN'S FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large pan until it starts to brown. Add in the onions and cook, occasionally stirring, until brown and softened.
• Next, turn up the heat to medium-high and add port wine and vinegar to the onions. Scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze it and combine all the ingredients together.
• After that, add chicken broth, bacon, and the bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, season with salt and pepper, and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour while skimming any foam that may form on top. Once done, remove the bouquet garni.
• Divide the soup into individual crock pots and place two croutons on top side by side. Cover with a generous amount of cheese while letting some cheese hang over the edges of the crock.
• Place the crocks under a preheated broiler or in the oven at 220°C/430°F until the cheese melts, bubbles, and brown spots appear.
• One extra tip, when the cheese starts to flatten due to the heat in the oven, take the crocks out and, using a propane torch, melt and brown the cheese as desired.

RICH AND SIMPLE FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter with olive oil in an 8 quart stock pot on medium heat. Add onions and continually stir until tender and translucent. Do not brown the onions.
• Add beef broth, sherry and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven broiler.
• Ladle soup into oven safe serving bowls and place one slice of bread on top of each (bread may be broken into pieces if you prefer). Layer each slice of bread with a slice of provolone, 1/2 slice diced Swiss and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place bowls on cookie sheet and broil in the preheated oven until cheese bubbles and browns slightly.

SOUP A L'OIGNON (FRENCH ONION SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil in a large pan. Add the onions and brown sugar. Simmer gently on medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for about twenty minutes, until the onions are translucent and golden.
• Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes more.
• Add the consomme and water, sherry and Worcestershire sauce, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Lightly toast the baguettes on both sides. On one side of each piece spread the mustard and sprinkle on the cheese. Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls , put two croutes on top of each one. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

AUTHENTIC FRENCH ONION SOUP COURTESY OF JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Place heavy bottom stock pot or dutch over over medium-low heat.
• Add 1 Tbs cooking oil, 2Tbs butter to pot.
• Add sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil.
• Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent.
• To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium high heat.
• Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly.
• Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbs flour to the onions.
• Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (If the flour does not form a thick paste, you can add a bit more butter here).
• Stir in about 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits.
• Add the rest of the stock, wine to the soup.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Drizzle each side of the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet.
• Cook the croutes for 15 minutes in oven on each side (30 minutes total).
• Check the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer to a casserole dish.
• At this point you can add the 2-3 Tbs cognac and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup.
• Add a few ounces of the swiss cheese directly into the soup and stir.
• Place the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the soup.
• Sprinkle the rest of the cheese in a thick layer on top of the bread making sure to cover the edges of the toast to prevent burning.
• Drizzle with a little oil or melted butter.
• Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
• Turn on broiler and brown cheese well.
• Let cool for a few minutes.
• Bon Apetit!

FRENCH ONION SOUP (SOUPE A L'OIGNON)

Steps:

• Slice the onions very thinly.
• Cook them in butter until clear (do not let them brown).
• Add stock and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Just before serving, add the brandy.
• Toast the bread towards the end of the cooking time, place the grated Gruyère on the toasted bread and float on the top of the soup.
• If the soup is served in ovenproof bowls, you can place the filled bowls under the broiler for a minute or so to brown the cheese.

RESTAURANT-STYLE FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, and thyme until onions are soft and brown, about 30 minutes. Pour in red wine and sherry; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until you can no longer smell alcohol cooking off, about 15 more minutes.
• Sprinkle onion mixture with flour and stir until coated; cook for 10 minutes. Pour in broth, stir to blend in flour, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) while soup is simmering. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
• Toast the baguette slices in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, turning the bread over halfway through cooking. Remove toast and set aside.
• Set an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and turn on the oven's broiler.
• Ladle soup into 6 oven-proof crocks, filling them about 3/4 full. Place 1 or 2 bread slices into the bowls and top each with a slice of Swiss cheese and a slice of provolone. Carefully place filled crocks onto a sturdy baking sheet.
• Broil soup until the cheese is browned and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.