French Onion Soup

Serves: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus softened butter, for spreading
• 3 large onions (about 2 pounds), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• Sea salt
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 quart Rich Beef Stock
• Freshly ground pepper
• Four ½-inch-thick slices sourdough bread, cut into 4-inch rounds
• 1 bouquet garni, made with 1 bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig, 2 juniper berries and 2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, tied in cheesecloth
• 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (about 6 ounces)

Procedures:

Rich, flavorful beef broth, sweet caramelized onions and a great melting cheese that hardens around the bowl into seductively crispy bits are a must for this classic. 

Melt the butter in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring once or twice, until the onions soften, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned, about 40 minutes. 

Stir in the sherry. Add the stock and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the soup has a deep flavor, about 30 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni and season the soup with salt and pepper. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bread on both sides and place on a baking sheet. Toast the bread for 15 minutes, turning the slices halfway through, until golden and crisp but not dried out. Raise the oven temperature to 425°F. 

Bring the soup to a simmer, ladle it into 4 deep ovenproof bowls and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Place a crouton in each bowl and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake the bowls of soup on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Serve hot. 

Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes