French onion soup

The French peasants:

Onion soups go back to Roman times, but unlike French toast and French fries, the onion soup found throughout Europe and America goes back to origins in France around the 1700s. I worked in France off and on in the 1980s and 1990s and have learned that French onion soup began as a popular dish of the poor, because it was inexpensive to make. French chefs tell me that it was particularly common for men coming off night shifts to eat the soup early in the morning. But like so many dishes, it has been appropriated by master chefs around the world for fine dining. I am quite partial to the soup and after trying many recipes over the years and making changes more acceptable to my pallet I have settled on the recipe below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients (5 servings):

• 2 tablespoons – butter
• 4 – large onions (preferably Vidalia), cut in half and sliced
• 4 10 ½-ounce cans – condensed beef broth (I use the Campbell’s brand)
• ½ cup – dry red wine (e.g., cabernet or merlot)
• 1 tablespoon – Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 slices – French baguette bread (1 inch thick)
• 5 tablespoons – parmesan cheese, grated (buy it in the block and grate)
• 5 slices -- gruyère cheese (about 4 inch squares)

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onions. The onions need to be cooked long enough to caramelize. Cook until they become deep brown stirring to prevent burning, about 30 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to boil for approximately 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Onion soup in the Dutch oven

Meanwhile, place the sliced bread on a baking sheet. Add a tablespoon of parmesan to the top of each slice and place under a broiler on high until the cheese browns slightly. Place each slice in a bowl and ladle the soup over the bread. Place one slice of the gruyère cheese (I like gruyère, which is a type of Swiss cheese, but if you cannot find it, ordinary Swiss is acceptable) on top of the soup of each bowl. Place the soup bowls under the broiler again until the cheese melts. Serve immediately. Bon appétit.

Bowl of French onion soup

J. Botticelli