French Onion Soup Gratine

By nlhartman

Onion soup gratine was inspired by King Henry IV, who after a day of hunting, stopped at a peasant's hut for food. The wife confessed she had little but stale bread, onions and cheese and offered to cook them with a little butter. King Henry added his leftover Champagne, and voila'!

Ingredients

• Caramelized onions
• 1 c. dry white wine (or leftover Champagne)
• 5 c. chicken, vegetable or beef stock or broth
• 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4-6 slices crusty baguette, toasted
• 1 c. grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Details

Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 20mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400.
Set the pot with the onions over medium heat and stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan vigorously to get up all of the browned bits. Stir in the stock and the parsley, season with sale and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the parsley. (You may prepare the soup up to two days ahead; cool then cover and refrigerate. Reheat before proceeding.)
Place slices of toasted baguette in individual ovenproof bowls or all in one large casserole. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole, distributing cheese evenly overall. Place on a sturdy baking sheet and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes.