Cheese-Topped Onion Soup

Today I am sharing a recipe from a new cookbook by Dorie Greenspan, Around My French Table.

I have always used Julia Child's recipe for French Onion Soup, the same one my mother always used until I bought this book. This recipe was a little different in that it used chicken stock instead of beef stock. I thought it was not quite as heavy as when I have used beef stock. I think I like Dorie's recipe better. If you haven't picked up this book I highly recommend it. It is definitely a keeper and I am looking forward to trying other recipes from this book.

Preparing a French Onion Soup requires a little patients since you need to take the time to slowly cook the onions. Following this recipe you can't miss.

cheese-topped onion soup

4-5 large Spanish onions (about 4 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, split, germ removed, and minced
Salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups chicken broth
Freshly ground white pepper
6 slices country bread
About 2 tablespoons Cognac or other brandy
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere, Comte' or Emmenthal (6 ounces)

Using a long chef's knife, cut 1 onion in half from top to bottom. Lay it cut side down on the cutting board, cut it lengthwise in half again, leaving it intact at the root end, and then thinly slice crosswise (discard the root end). Repeat with the remaining onions.

Put the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and put the pot over low heat. (I use an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.) When the butter is melted, add the onions and garlic, season with salt, and stir with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook the onions, stirring frequently, until they are a deep caramel color. Have patience; depending on the heat and the onions, this may take an hour or more. And don't be tempted to try to speed things up, because if you burn the onions, your soup will have a bitter taste. On the other hand, if you don't get the onions really brown, your soup will be pale in both taste and looks.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for a minute or so to cook away the flour's raw taste. Pour in 1/3 cup of the wine and stirring to pick up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pot, let the wine cook away, a matter of a minute or two. Pour in the chicken broth and the remaining 2/3 cup wine, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the liquid just simmers, partially cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes. Check the soup for seasoning, adding white pepper and more salt if needed. (You can set the soup aside for up to 2 hours, until serving time, or refrigerate it for up to 3 days; bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes before continuing.)

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and have six deep ovenproof soup bowls at the ready.

If necessary, cut the slices of bread so that they fit into your soup bowls. It's up to you whether you want the bread to almost cover the surface of the soup or to float in the soup like a large crouton. (For true soupe a' l'oignon gratinee Paris-style, you want the bread to cover the entire surface, and you hope that the cheese will melt and bubble so exuberantly that some of it will stick to the sides of the bowls.) Place the bread on the lined baking sheet and broil just until the slices are toasted; flip over and color the other side.

Remove the bread and put the soup bowls on the baking sheet. Pour about 1 teaspoon Cognac (use more or less according to your taste) into each bowl. Ladle in the soup, top each with a slice of bread, and cover the bread with the grated cheese. Run the soup under the broiler just until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve immediately, while the soup is brulante.

I found this to be an excellent soup and pared with a Mixed Green Salad and perhaps a good bottle of wine it makes for a light dinner.

Today I am joining Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum. There are many wonderful participants of Foodie Friday sharing some great recipes. Thank you for visiting my blog and please do come again.