French Onion Soup is a classic that’s simple to prepare, yet full of rich flavor. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the steps to create this delicious dish at home. The key to a great French Onion Soup is patience – allowing the onions to slowly caramelize is what gives it that deep, sweet flavor. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- 1/4 lb. butter
- 2 1/2 lb. onions, sliced
- 1 qt. beef stock (3 cans Campbell’s beef stock)
- 1 qt. chicken stock (3 cans Campbell’s chicken stock)
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper (you may wish to use less)
- salt to taste (you may not want any)
Cooking Method
- Heat butter in heavy kettle.
- Add sliced onions; brown well, stirring constantly.
- Add beef and chicken stock, the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, garlic salt and pepper.
- Allow to simmer for 40 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf; add salt.
- Prepare with a slice of toasted French bread (1/2-inch thick).
- Add a thick slice of Swiss cheese (1/4-inch thick), overlapping the bowl.
- Put under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Calorie: 300
Total cooking time:1 hour
Difficulty level: Easy
The Great Onion Soup Saga
Culinary tales are never dull, and this one is no exception. Picture this: Me, a 1/4 lb. butter, 2 1/2 lb. onions, and a whole host of other ingredients, taking on the daunting task of preparing French Onion Soup. Let’s dive right in!
Butter: The Unsung Hero
Our tale begins with butter, the unsung hero of many a recipe. I tossed it into a heavy kettle to melt, and it sizzled with as much anticipation as I did. The smell of melting butter is like a warm hug that whispers, “Everything is going to be delicious.”
Onion Tears and Triumphs
Next were the onions, those formidable orbs of tear-inducing layers. Slicing 2 1/2 lb. of onions had me weeping like I was watching a marathon of rom-com breakups. But as I tossed them into the kettle, their sizzling sound was like a symphony to my ears.
The Stock Market
With the onions well-browned and my tear ducts emptied, it was time to add the stocks. In went 1 qt. of beef stock and 1 qt. of chicken stock from the finest purveyor of canned goods, Campbell’s. The kettle was now a bubbling, aromatic hot tub for the onions to luxuriate in.
Spice Up Your Life
The next act in this soup opera was the Worcestershire sauce, a dash of bay leaf, some garlic salt, and black pepper. If you’re sensitive to spice, you might want to use less pepper. I, however, like to live dangerously, so in went the full teaspoon.
The Simmer Down
Now came the part where I had to allow the soup to simmer for 40 minutes. I’ll admit, waiting for soup to simmer is like watching paint dry, but without the fumes. Here’s a tip: don’t watch the soup. Go do something fun like origami or interpretive dance.
The Final Touch
After what felt like an eternity, it was time to remove the bay leaf and add a pinch of salt. Into the bowl went a slice of toasted French bread, followed by a thick slice of Swiss cheese. The bowl went under the broiler until the cheese was melted and bubbly. This, my friends, is the culinary equivalent of watching a caterpillar transform into a butterfly.
The Tasting
The moment of truth arrived. The soup was as rich and hearty as I’d hoped, with a hint of rebellion from the black pepper. The cheese was the proverbial cherry on top, or in this case, the gooey blanket on the soup.
And that, dear friends, is the tale of my French Onion Soup escapade. A journey of butter, onions, stock, and spices that transformed into a bowl of heartwarming soup. Bon Appétit!
