I am aware that Julia Child in her famous Mastering the Art of French Cooking says, “The onions for an onion soup need a long, slow cooking in butter and oil, then a long, slow simmering in stock for them to develop the deep, rich flavor which characterizes a perfect brew. You should therefore count on 2 ½ hours at least from start to finish. . . .” It appears that the long, slow cooking in butter and oil is important, but one can adjust the time downward and still have a satisfactory soup.
- easy
- moderate cost
- 45 minutes to prepare
- serves 4
The ingredients are:
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices country bread, each cut into 4 pieces
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
- 6 cups water, or 5 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup white wine
Her procedure:
1. In a large saucepan, melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Stir in 6 cups of water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil , then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the bread and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into a deep baking dish or ovenproof bowls and set on a baking sheet. Float the croutons in the soup and sprinkle with the cheese. Broil 8 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes or until melted and golden. Serve right away.
Her notes:
- To prevent the onions from sticking to the pan, stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of cold water once they are lightly browned. Cover and simmer gently.
- To save time, you can serve the soup without the cheese croutons, or use plain toast instead.
- Instead of Gruyère cheese, I used American cheddar cheese, or cheddar with a little Parmesan.
- Lacking French country bread, I used whatever bread I had on hand, English muffins once, and a nice cheese bread another time. I toasted the bread twice, letting it cool in between, then I put slices of cheese on it and melted the cheese in the microwave.
- Instead of plain water, I used bullion. I followed the suggestion to use half a cup of white wine.
Happy cooking,
Ruth Ann