Nothing tastes better on a cold winter day than a bowl of hot onion soup with its cap of melted cheese concealing a floating baguette slice. All you need for a complete meal is a green salad, a glass of red wine, and more bread to sop up the stock.
Make sure that the bowls you use for serving the soup are flameproof. In France, onion soup is served in individual glazed earthenware crocks.
1½-2 lb (750 g-1 kg) yellow onions
¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose (plain) flour
5 cups (40 fl oz/1.25 l) chicken stock, heated
1 tablespoon molasses
2 fresh parsley sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2-3 tablespoons dry sherry
8-12 slices French baguette
1 cup (4 oz/125 g) shredded Gruyere cheese
Peel and cut the onions in half length-wise. Lay each half on a cutting surface, cut side down, and cut crosswise into slices ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
In a large, wide saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are evenly golden, 20-30 minutes
Sprinkle the flour over the onions; stir and cook until evenly distributed, 1-2 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and gradually add the chicken stock, stirring occasionally. Continue to stir until the mixture comes to a boil and is smooth and thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add the molasses and stir until blended.
Gather the parsley and thyme sprigs and bay leaf together into a bunch, fold over the stems and tie securely with kitchen string to form a bouquet garni. Add to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently until the onions are very tender, 30-40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and with the cayenne.
At serving time, preheat a broiler (griller). Warm 4 deep flameproof soup bowls.
Remove the bouquet garni from the soup and discard. Stir in sherry to taste. Place the soup bowls on a heavy-duty baking sheet or a broiler pan and ladle the soup into bowls. Float 2 or 3 baguette slices on top of each bowl. Generously sprinkle the cheese on the bread slices. Place under the broiler, with the cheese topping about 4 inches (10 cm) from the heat source, and broil (grill) until the cheese melts and starts to turn golden, 4-5 minutes. Serve at once.
We hope you enjoy this as much as we did!!!!
**I always use salted butter, I like College Inn chicken broth for some reason, and I use 3 Tbsp. of Sherry!
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