French Onion Soup Recipe

The key to a great soup is the beef stock. You must have good beef stock. I used to think that this was too hard until I actually made the stock. It takes time to simmer bones with onions, garlic, carrots, celery, or whatever you think is flavorful, but it is worth it. Make a lot of stock and freeze some because it comes in very handy for soup season.

French Onion Soup

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, plus one tablespoon olive oil to keep the butter from burning
8 cups (2.5 lbs or 1.13 kg) thinly sliced onions
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
8 cups beef stock
1 cup white wine
1/4 loaf french bread, toasted and cut into 1/2" thick cubes
1 3/4 cups grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Melt the butter with oil in a thick pan. Stir in the onions and cover. Cook them on medium-low heat for about ten minutes, until they are translucent. Add the salt and increase the heat to medium high. Brown the onions, stirring frequently for 25 minutes. Carefully sprinkle the flour, so that it does not clump. Stir for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add two cups of the stock. Stir it all together for five minutes and then heat to a simmer. Add the rest of the stock and the wine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding more salt or water if needed.

Pour the soup into oven proof bowls. Place the toast on top of the soup and cover with a good sized layer of cheese. Broil the soup until the cheese melts and has a golden crust.