You have to agree with me, there is nothing more satisfying than a hot nourishing bowl of home made soup on a cold winter’s day. In our house, wintertime is soup time. We all have our favourites and mine would include a spicy Hungarian goulash soup, French Canadian Pea with a tender pork hock, and rich creamy clam chowder. Basically, anything good and hearty. In this column, I would like to pick another of my top 10, the classic French Onion Soup topped with bubbly emmenthaler cheese. If there was a hall of fame for soups, this classic would be right there with the consomme, the Oxtail and the Lobster Bisque.
Now the onion has been cultivated for at least 5000 years and probably came out from somewhere in the middle east. Through military conquests and commerce, the onion made its way west. With the Romans the vegetable made it across the Alps and into Gaul (present day France) and became well established. Around 400 AD strengthened by many cauldrons of onion broth, Asterix and Obelix and their merry men finally kicked the Romans out of Gaul for good, but the onion stayed. In the middle ages, onions were such an important food that people would pay their rent with them. Can you imagine this today, the landlord telling you that from next month on, your rent will go up by 50 lbs of onions? You better have a big garden!
In the 18th century, one could find soup offered in the many markets and market stalls throughout Paris. In the late 19th century, legendary chef Georges Auguste Escoffier, the “King” of Chefs probably perfected the soup in the Grand Ritz Hotel in Paris. Unfortunately for him he never had a chance to try mine. But you will, so why don’t we get started.
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons light olive oil
• 6 medium onions (2 white, 2 yellow, 2 red) about 2.5 lbs, sliced thin
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cups low sodium beef stock (or stock of your choice)
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 small bay leaves
• 2 pinches dried thyme
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 4 slices baguette, 3/4 in thick
• shredded gruyere, emmentaler, edam or fresh parmesan. A mixture of 2 or more is great.
Directions:
In a large sauce pan or stock pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, add sliced onions and chopped garlic. Stir to coat thoroughly and cook, stirring and scraping frequently until onions are golden brown and slightly caramelized, for about 25-30 minutes. Add the flour and mix into the onions, cook for a couple of minutes. Add red wine and scrape the bottom and sides of the pot. Stir in stock, add thyme and bay leaves and simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly toast baguette slices. Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls. Top each bowl with baguette slice. Generously top with cheese mixture. Place bowls on tray and bake in a preheated 400 oven until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Serves four.
Bon appetit, ‘til next time.
~Wolfgang
