French Onion Soup
50g butter
1 kilo onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100 ml water (optional white wine)
1 liter vegetable stock, cubed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 baguette, pre-baked
2 garlic cloves, halved
100g Gruyère cheese, grated
Optional:
A few tablespoons Madeira
Today we're making delicious, warm French onion soup with Gruyère croutons. We found a delicious French recipe, not from Paris, but from Lyon. Does that matter? Yes, it certainly does. Because Parisians consider their onion soup recipe to be the authentic French one. ut...the Lyonnais think so too.
Here's a quick breakdown, so you can decide for yourself which one you prefer. In Paris, beef or chicken broth is used in the onion soup; in Lyon, they use vegetable broth. For the Paris version, add a few tablespoons of cognac to the soup as a flavor enhancer. In Lyon, the Lyonese prefer Madeira.
We're making the Lyonnais recipe because the monsters eat vegetarian and because we are not French born no alcohol for children, is our rule. But our onion soup is still very delicious!
How to make French Onion soup
Peel the onions and slice into thin rings.
Let the butter melt on low heat.
Fry the onions 30-35 minutes until brown, stir occasionally.
Press the garlic and fry it with the onions in the same pan.
While the onions are simmering and browning, and you stir occasionally, prepare the cheese and herbs
Grate the cheese.
Cut the parsley finely.
Make vegetable stock from cubes.
The onions are coloured nicely brown
Stir in the water (or the wine).
Add the onions to the boullion.
Stir the soup to combine.
Add salt and pepper and taste.
If you want to add cognac or Madeira now's the right time
Preheat the oven to 220°C and line the baking tray with waxed paper
Bake the baguette as indicated on the package, while the flavours of the soup are blending
Bake the baguette for 10 minutes.
Cut the baguette into not too thin croutons.
Spinkle generously with grated cheese.
Allow the cheese to melt in the hot oven.
Ladle the hot onion soup into the bowls.
Sprinkle some parsley over the soup.
Place one or two croutons with melted cheese on top of the onion soup and you think you are in France, but are you in Lyon or Paris? :)))
Bon appétit!