French Onion Soup

   This is a pretty basic recipe and not complicated at all. It just takes time and patience and cutting a lot of onions. Hubby discovered that he really enjoyed this while we were on the cruise. My dad has always loved the one he can get at Outback and the best ever at Mermaids in Fayetteville. During my Stocks and Soups class in Culinary School we made this and I knew he would love it. I made it that year for his birthday and it was great. This time was my second time outside of class to make it and it turned out just as great as before. 

   It finally was cold enough to warrant a good brothy soup to be made so I broke out my school recipe book and got to cooking. It takes a lot of onions, chicken and beef stock. Now this time I was not able to find beef bones so I did not get to make my own beef stock so I used the box stuff. For this recipe though I would highly recommend making your own beef stock, the chicken I wouldn’t be so concerned about. It adds a depth to the flavor that gives it an even better taste. Making it is simple you just need water, a couple carrots, a couple stalks of celery, one onion and about 4lbs of beef bones (typically found at the store or can ask butcher) and you just simmer it down and let it cook for around 8 hours. I have a special trick to help get even more flavor from the bones that I will share next time I make some so there are pictures to show you. 

I did use my own chicken stock for
this since I had some on hand. 

   Clarified butter is also necessary.  Clarified the butter will not smoke or burn as quickly which gives the onions the time they need to cook down. The foam that will be removed is a butter fat and the pieces that are in the bottom of the pan will be milk fats but  To make your regular un salted butter clarified all you need is one stick of butter 4 oz (to get 2 oz) and but it in a pan over very low heat. You want to melt the butter slowly so it doesn’t burn. As the foam comes to the top skim it off gently with a spoon so that you don’t get the butter up with it. The foam is butter fat, that actually taste pretty good I had to give it a taste ha. Once the foam has stopped forming it is ready and you can pour it into a container or measuring cup to make sure you have about 2oz. It is ok if it has some floating white specks it won’t mess it up, but for the most part in the container you want the clear yellow butter.

I still had some white foam on my butter it
won't hurt the soup, it just is not completely
clarified.

Alright let’s get to the soup.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

2lbs onions

2 oz clarified butter

1 qt chicken stalk

1 qt beef stalk

2 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Finely slice all your onions.

   

   I had to use 6 onions, a couple were a tad larger then normal, the others were
   typical.

   
   

   

   nice and thin rounds make this perfect.

2. Take the butter and put it into a sauce pan (one that does NOT have non stick coating is best. But if needed non stick will work)a skillet would work as well if it can hold on the onions.
3. Sautee the onions until they have reduced down and are caramelized, you want to have some sticking to the pan, and some brown color starting to appear.  This takes a while so be patient see the pictures as time goes on, I was in a non stick pan so the color of the onions was not all that I would have liked it but the flavor was still there.                                                                  

   

   3 and a half minutes

   
   

   

   6 minutes and 50 seconds

   
   

   

   6 minutes and 50 sec again,
   see how the water is coming out of the onions 

   

   12 minutes and 35 seconds 

   
   

   

   17 minutes and 5 seconds. they are very limp
   and becoming sticky

   
   

   

   20 minutes, I was done waiting for them to
   brown anymore bc of the pan. But the color
   has gone passed translucent.  

4. When they start to darken deglaze the pan with 1cup of the beef stock, repeat until the onions are a dark brown and not stuck to the pan. (now would be the time to transport them to a sauce pot if using a skillet for the onions)                                                                                                  

   

   First cup added, I added 2 before I did the rest

5. Add in the rest of the beef stock, the chicken stock, thyme, salt and pepper and adjust seasoning to taste.                                 
6. Let simmer for at least 20 min to get the flavor developed.
7. Taste and make sure you like the way the flavor is adjust if needed, can add about ¼ cup sherry if wanted, I had red cooking wine so I used about 3tbsp to just give it a bit  more flavor.

Finished soup

To serve place in individual small bowls or ramekins cover with a slice of French bread and swiss cheese. You can use gruyere cheese if you wish or even provolone if you prefer it. Then toast or broil it to melt the cheese and toast the sides of the bread.

    There you have it a delicious bowl of soup. I served with a split chicken breast just lightly pan fried to give a bit more umph to our meal. This can be the perfect dinner all on its own though.

   Have you had French Onion Soup before? Have you made it at home? Let me know if you give this a try I would love to hear how it went.