This classic French winter soup often scares people off with the amount of onions in it. But time, the main ally of French cuisine magic, turns a familiar harsh taste of onions into caramel-sweet and rich one. Time is the secret of this dish. Enough time should pass for the onion to caramelize and show all its sweetness, so that the broth would become saturated with this taste. And also, as if especially for you, my ardent fan of cheese :), onion soup is served with cheese croutons. So, you have no chance to remain indifferent to it 🙂
This classic French winter soup often scares people off with the amount of onions in it. But time, the main ally of French cuisine magic, turns a familiar harsh taste of onions into caramel-sweet and rich one. Time is the secret of this dish. Enough time should pass for the onion to caramelize and show all its sweetness, so that the broth would become saturated with this taste. And also, as if especially for you, my ardent fan of cheese :), onion soup is served with cheese croutons. So, you have no chance to remain indifferent to it 🙂- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: 1 hour – 1 hour 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Difficulty: medium
- Course: soup
- Cookware: copper saucepan, terrine soup bowls or cups
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 650 ml chicken stock
- 4 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 65 g butter
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 2 tbsp brandy or sherry
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 sprig of thyme
- ¼ bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- 1½ tsp sugar
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
- ½ baguette, 1 cm sliced
- 100 g gruyère, grated
Cooking method
Step 1
Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden brown. Then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in dry white wine, bring to boil and cook until the volume is reduced by 2 times.
Step 2
Add stock to the onions. Season the soup with sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, and brandy or sherry. Cover the soup, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme from soup before serving.
Step 3
Heat the oven to 200°C. Grate gruyère over the baguette slices. Bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Pour the soup into tureens bowls or cups, top each bowl with a baked cheese crouton, and put in the oven for 4 minutes. Sprinkle the soup with parsley and serve.
My tips and tricks:
In the mood for some experiments? Try making this soup with different types of onions, for example, white, red, leeks, and shallots.
- 650 ml chicken stock
- 4 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 65 g butter
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 2 tbsp brandy or sherry
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 sprig of thyme
- ¼ bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- 1½ tsp sugar
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
- ½ baguette, 1 cm sliced
- 100 g gruyère, grated
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden brown. Then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in dry white wine, bring to boil and cook until the volume is reduced by 2 times.
- Add stock to the onions. Season the soup with sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, and brandy or sherry. Cover the soup, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme from soup before serving.
- Heat the oven to 200°C. Grate gruyère over the baguette slices. Bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Pour the soup into tureens bowls or cups, top each bowl with a baked cheese crouton, and put in the oven for 4 minutes. Sprinkle the soup with parsley and serve.