French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'oignon)
Overview
French onion soup turns the humblest vegetable into something luxurious. A mountain of sliced onions is cooked slowly in butter for most of an hour until they become soft, sweet and deep mahogany brown. That patient caramelisation is the whole secret: rushing it makes the soup bitter. The onions are deglazed with white wine and simmered in beef stock with thyme and bay. Each serving is ladled into an ovenproof bowl, crowned with a slice of toasted baguette and a heavy layer of grated Gruyère or Comté, then grilled until bubbling and blistered. Long associated with the old Les Halles market in Paris, it was once the classic late-night meal of market porters and revellers.
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History
Onion soups are ancient, cheap food that was eaten by poor people across Europe for centuries, since onions were easy to grow and store. The modern French version, built on deeply browned onions and beef stock, is generally said to have taken shape in Paris in the eighteenth century. Its gratinéed cheese and bread topping made it a famous late-night dish around the old Les Halles market. In the mid-twentieth century it became fashionable in the United States and is now served in bistros worldwide.
Main ingredients
Onions, butter, beef stock, white wine, baguette, gruyère cheese. The soup is built on beef stock and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~90 min
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg onions, thinly sliced
- 50 g butter, 1 tbsp oil
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 1.2 l beef stock
- 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf
- 8 slices baguette, toasted
- 150 g Gruyère, grated
Method
- Melt the butter with the oil and add the onions with a pinch of salt.
- Cook over low to medium heat for 45-60 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown.
- Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits, then the stock and herbs; simmer for 20 minutes.
- Ladle into ovenproof bowls and top with toast and plenty of cheese.
- Grill until the cheese is melted and browned, and serve very hot.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.