I can shout with great joy, “We have rain!” It is fantastic news because it will help the drought. Almost as important, there are a few foods that seem better when it rains. Of course, rainy comfort foods take many forms. This week, I feature one of my all time favorites: French onion soup.
French onion soup has four components that, when they come together, make the soup a perfect meal. First, I enjoy the flavor that comes from a good beef broth. When the onions are caramelized, the natural sugar develops and mellows the harsh onion flavor. This process compliments the beef broth and enriches its flavor. Slices of toasted baguette, when soaked in the soup, give more body to the soup and make it hearty. Finally, it is hard to resist the melted and toasted cheese on top. When mounded high and broiled on top of toasted baguette slices, the cheese sinks into the soup with the bread and down the sides of the bowl. It is tough not to have a sample of this delicious cheese before the soup reaches the table.
Are you ready to make French onion soup? The only downside is the attention and time it takes to make it. Do not let this hinder you because the effort is well worth it. Due to the time involved, I make a triple batch because it freezes quite well for a few months. I use concentrated beef stock at double strength so smaller containers of soup are frozen, taking up less freezer space. I add water when ready to use.
This week, I present the French onion soup from “Martha’s Cooking School.” It is a traditional version, which I feel is important for first-time onion soup makers to experience. If not making your own broth, one of the best commercially made versions is called “Better Than Bullion.” Look for the reduced sodium version because it is easier to adjust the salt content.
French Onion Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pats
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds yellow onions, cut in half lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 1/2 cups homemade beef stock
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small French baguette, sliced on a bias into 3/4-inch thick pieces
12 ounces medium-hard cheese, such as a combination of Gruyere, Fontina or Swiss, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 1/2 cups)
Step 1: Melt butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkle with sugar and cook, stirring as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are melting, soft, golden brown and beginning to caramelize, about one hour.
Step 2: Sprinkle flour over onions and stir to coat. Add sherry, stock and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Arrange bread on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until deep-golden brown on both sides, about one to two minutes per side; set aside.
Step 4: Ladle one cup hot soup into four 13-ounce ramekins or ovenproof bowls. Arrange the bowls on a rimmed baked sheet. Place two slices of toasted bread over each bowl of soup to cover the surface of the soup completely. Sprinkle three ounces of grated cheese over bread in each bowl, and place under broiler until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges. Watch carefully that bread doesn’t burn. Serve immediately.
Mitch L. Mariani II is a self-taught amateur chef. Reach him at [email protected].
