French Onion Soup

By Lsweetnell

COOK TIME 1 hour
TOTAL TIME 1 hour 15 mins
4 Servings

A classic French Onion Soup from Manu Feildel's cookbook "Manu's French Kitchen". Incredibly easy to make, the two key tips are: cooking the onions slowly so they caramelise (key to flavour base of soup) and using a good chicken or beef broth. And you don't need heatproof soup bowls for the grilled cheese - just grill them in a heat proof pot or just on a baking tray!

Can also use a cup of dry white wine to richen the flavor.

Ingredients

• 100 g / 3.5oz unsalted butter
• 5 brown / yellow onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced (750g / 1.5 lb)
• 30 g / 1 oz plain flour
• 1.5 litres / 6 cups / 1.5 quarts chicken or beef broth, low sodium/salt reduced (Note 1)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 - 6 slices French baguette or sourdough bread
• 100 g / 3.5 oz gruyere, emmenthal or comte cheese
• Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Details

Adapted from recipetineats.com

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter in a heavy based casserole pot over medium heat. When it starts to foam, add onions. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently later, for at least 30 minutes (or on a lower heat for up to 50 minutes) until golden. The onion should be sweet. (Note 2)
Sprinkle flour over the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cheese Toast
Meanwhile, preheat grill / broiler to high. Toast 1 side of the bread until golden.
If you have oven proof bowls: Ladle soup into bowls, place bread toasted side down (untoasted side up). Top bread with cheese. Grill until melted and golden.
In casserole pot: Follow soup bowl steps, but place bread into pot. Then serve soup into bowls, including 1 piece of grilled cheese.
Baking tray: Place bread toasted side down on baking trays, top with cheese and melt until golden. Ladle soup into bowls then top with grilled cheese, sprinkled with parsley.
NOTES
1. French Onion Soup can be made with chicken or beef broth. It is more commonly made with beef stock, from what I have observed. Manu opts to use chicken stock. I've made it with both - both are delicious. I made it with beef stock for the photos. I like the deeper brown colour and slightly stronger flavour of the broth.

Best to use low salt and add salt if required.

2. If the onion sticks to the bottom of the pot, remove from heat and put the lid on. It will sweat and loosen.