There's nothing like a bowl of French Onion soup while people watching along the Champs-de-Elysees, something we've done many times. But, at about 6 Euros a bowl for the privilege of sitting in one of the fancy restaurants you can make a bowl of this soup and look out your own window on the world.
Here's what you'll need.
6 medium onions
7 cups of broth (beef/poultry) using either powder, canned bullion, whatever you prefer
1 clove garlic
garlic salt
red pepper
salt and pepper
olive oil
3 tsp sugar
Parmesan cheese
Swiss Gruyere Cheese (the original for French Onion Soup) or thick slice Swiss Cheese
French/Italian Bread
In a Dutch Oven, which is a medium to large pot with a lid probably about 8 to 10 quarts, cover the bottom with about 4 tbls of olive oil. Thinly slice the clove of garlic and put it in the pot. Slice do not dice the onions and drop them into the pot, separating the slices as you drop them in the pot and turn on the stove top to low as you continue to slice up the onions. After about 15 minutes sprinkle the onions with the 3 - 5 teaspoons of sugar to help caramelize the onions. Cook the onions for about 45 minutes to an hour, turning constantly, with the lid on the pot about half the time. Once they are soft and brownish start adding the broth and bring the stove top to medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, about two teaspoons of red pepper, and cook for 45 minutes then cover and set aside.
Now like many soups, this taste better the following day but if you are ready now, take the French or Italian bread, wrap it in aluminium foil and place it in a 350 degree oven. You can actually do this about 15 minutes into the last step of making the soup. Once warm remove from the oven and slice as many slices of bread as bowls of soup you are serving. Using oven safe bowls, fill each bowl about 2/3 full with the soup. Add a slice of bread on top and then top that off with either the Gruyere or Swiss cheese. If you use the Swiss cheese, then sprinkle the top of the soup with the Parmesan cheese too. Place in the oven allowing about 10 minutes for the cheese to melt and brown a little on the top.
Here's what you'll need.
6 medium onions
7 cups of broth (beef/poultry) using either powder, canned bullion, whatever you prefer
1 clove garlic
garlic salt
red pepper
salt and pepper
olive oil
3 tsp sugar
Parmesan cheese
Swiss Gruyere Cheese (the original for French Onion Soup) or thick slice Swiss Cheese
French/Italian Bread
In a Dutch Oven, which is a medium to large pot with a lid probably about 8 to 10 quarts, cover the bottom with about 4 tbls of olive oil. Thinly slice the clove of garlic and put it in the pot. Slice do not dice the onions and drop them into the pot, separating the slices as you drop them in the pot and turn on the stove top to low as you continue to slice up the onions. After about 15 minutes sprinkle the onions with the 3 - 5 teaspoons of sugar to help caramelize the onions. Cook the onions for about 45 minutes to an hour, turning constantly, with the lid on the pot about half the time. Once they are soft and brownish start adding the broth and bring the stove top to medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, about two teaspoons of red pepper, and cook for 45 minutes then cover and set aside.
Now like many soups, this taste better the following day but if you are ready now, take the French or Italian bread, wrap it in aluminium foil and place it in a 350 degree oven. You can actually do this about 15 minutes into the last step of making the soup. Once warm remove from the oven and slice as many slices of bread as bowls of soup you are serving. Using oven safe bowls, fill each bowl about 2/3 full with the soup. Add a slice of bread on top and then top that off with either the Gruyere or Swiss cheese. If you use the Swiss cheese, then sprinkle the top of the soup with the Parmesan cheese too. Place in the oven allowing about 10 minutes for the cheese to melt and brown a little on the top.
