Basic French Onion Soup

By jsides

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 6 cups beef broth
• 4 slices bread
• 4 slices of Swiss cheese

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from sheknows.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and the edges have begun to caramelize. This will take 15 to 30 minutes.



2. Add the flour and stir. Add a cup of the beef broth the deglaze the pan, then add the rest. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Set the oven to broil. For each serving, ladle soup into an oven-proof bowl. Lay a slice of bread on top, and a slice of cheese on top of that. Place bowls on a large baking sheet and set under the broiler until the cheese begins to bubble. Remove carefully and serve.

Additions to French onion soup


After mastering the most basic recipe, you can mix things up:

Use sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla onions instead of regular yellow or white onions.
Use sherry or cognac to deglaze the pan, or wine -- either red or white will work.
Use a combination of wine and stock instead of just stock.
Include some apple cider in your liquid.
Use very good crusty French bread -- or hunks of stale bread and just spoon the soup over it.
Try croutons instead of bread.
Use grated Gruyere or another melt-easy cheese on top -- even pepper jack!
Add a splash of cognac just before broiling.