Julia Child, The French Chef
This recipe differs slightly from that which is found in her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, although the results are the same.
SOUPE À L’OIGNON, Maison
[Homemade French Onion Soup]
Onion soup is simply a large quantity of sliced onions slowly cooked and browned in butter, then simmered in beef bouillon. To achieve the true homemade taste, you’ll need a homemade bouillon – beef bones and shank meat simmered for several hours with the usual carrots, onions, celery, seasonings, and herbs. If your own bouillon is lacking, substitute canned beef bouillon.
For 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
A heavy 4-quart sauce pan or casserole
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
1½ lbs or about 5 to 6 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions
1 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar (helps the onions to brown)
3 Tbsp flour
2 quarts hot beef stock
1 cup red or white wine
1 bay leaf
½ tsp sage
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Melt the butter with the oil in the sauce pan or casserole: add the sliced onions and stir up to coat with the butter. Cover the pan and cook over moderately low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent. Then uncover the pan, raise heat to moderately high, and stir in the salt and sugar. (Sugar, by caramelizing, helps onions to brown.) Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions have turned an even deep golden brown.
Then lower heat to moderate, stir in the flour, and add a bit more butter if flour does not absorb into a paste with the onions. Cook slowly, stirring continually, for about 2 minutes to brown the flour lightly. Remove from heat.
Pour in about a cup of the hot bouillon, stirring with a wire whip to blend flour and bouillon. Add the rest of the bouillon and the wine, bay, and sage, and bring to the simmer. Simmer slowly for 30 to 40 minutes, Season to taste with salt and pepper, and the soup is done. If you are not serving immediately, let cool uncovered, then Cover and refrigerate.
Serve with French bread and grated Parmesan cheese, or bake with cheese as follows.
VARIATION
Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée
[Onion Soup Gratinéed with Cheese]
This turns onion soup into a hearty main course: all you need to complete the meal is a bottle of red wine, perhaps a green salad, and fresh fruit. You may prepare all the elements for this ahead of time, but once the soup is assembled in its casserole, you should proceed with the recipe or the bread may sink to the bottom of the dish. (Note; you will need a chewy homemade type of bread: the light flimsy kind usually disintegrates in the soup.)
Ingredients
a loaf of French bread
olive oil or melted butter
the preceding soup, brought to the simmer
optional: ¼ cup cognac
a peeled 2-inch raw onion
a 2-ounce piece Swiss cheese
1½ cups grated Swiss and Parmesan cheese, mixed
Directions
Cut the bread into slices 1 inch thick, paint lightly with oil or butter, and the range in one layer on a baking sheet. Place in middle level of a preheated 325° oven for 15 to 20 minutes until beginning to brown lightly; turn and brown lightly for 15 to 20 minutes on the other side. These are called croûtes.
Pour the hot soup into a serving casserole or baking dish. Poor in the optional cognac, grate in the onion, and shave the piece of cheese into fine slivers and strew over the soup. Place a closely packed layer of croûtes over the top of the soup and spread on the grated cheese, covering the croûtes completely. Sprinkle a tablespoon of oil or butter over the cheese, and set the soup in the middle level of a preheated 350° oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until soup is bubbling slowly and cheese has melted.
Meanwhile, heat your broiler to red hot; just before serving, run the soup under the hot broiler for a moment to brown the cheese lightly. Pass remaining croûtes in a bread tray along with the soup.