I am a sucker for French Onion soup. It's something about the cheese and the salt and the rich broth that just gets me every time. Tonight I improvised on a basic recipe for this classic french soup. Here it is!
French Onion Soup
6-8 Onions, cut into half moons and sliced thinly (I use a mix of onions, yellow and white to be exact)
1/4 c butter sliced into pats
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
4 cups of beef broth
1 cup medium bodied red wine (I used a Malbec)
1 cup chicken broth
2-3 sprigs of tarragon
2-3 sprigs of sage
2 bay leaves
1 baguette sliced
Shredded gruyere cheese to taste
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet until melted and slightly bubbling. Add onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on med-low heat, stirring occasionally until golden brown and caramelized. (This will take up to an hour). Remove the onions from the skillet and put into a stew pot or something comparable. Add liquids. Tie the herbs together into a bundle (the bay leaves may not fit into a bundle). Season with more salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and then quickly reduce heat until is just simmers. Simmer for 30+ min. I usually let mine go for an hour, this helps the flavors meld.
Pour soup into oven proof bowls. Place a few slices of bread and a sprinkling of cheese over each bowl. Place under the broiler until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melty.
Remember that this soup is adjustable. I did a lot of ingredient eyeballing and a lot of time improv. It's also important to taste as you go! I've tried this soup several times and this version was by far the best, even Jeff said so. Enjoy it and tell me what you think!
