Author: Darcy Raven
Food is something we all consume each and everyday, multiple times a day. So it is no surprise that The Job Shop team bonds and has the most fun over sharing a great meal together.
Liz the founder of The Job Shop has a wonderful garden and grows some great fresh produce which she sometimes will bring in for the office. The other week she brought in lots of homegrown onions and with that I decided to make homemade French Onion Soup.
After searching online for the perfect recipe, I settled on a French Onion soup from Simply Recipes.
Since I am a pescatarian/vegetarian, and I like using items I already have in my fridge I had to alter the recipe slightly. But even with those alterations the French Onion soup came out perfectly delicious. Tasted just like French Onion soup should taste like and it made the enough soup for two people.
So if you are a fan of French onion soup then this recipe is for you!
INGREDIENTS:
6 large red or yellow onions. (I used one giant onion and a small one which came out to 4cups after chopping)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon of sugar
Salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups of beef stock, chicken stock, or a combination of the two (I used vegetable stock)
1/2 cup of dry vermouth or dry white wine (I used white wine for the meal and for myself while cooking)
2 bay leaves (didn’t bother with this ingredient)
1 tablespoon (loose) of fresh thyme (used dried thyme)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brandy (optional-but didn’t use it)
8 slices French bread or baguette cut 1-inch thick (I had leftover garlic bites from Dominos, so I used about 10 garlic bites)
1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere and a sprinkling of Parmesan (I already had some shredded mozzarella and sliced provolone cheese so I used about half of a cup of shredded mozzarella on each bowl along with two slices of provolone)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Caramelize the onions: In a 5 to 6 quart thick-bottomed pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and toss to coat with the olive oil.
Cook the onions, stirring often, until they have softened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium high. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to brown, about 15 more minutes.
Then sprinkle with sugar (to help with the caramelization) and 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook until the onions are well browned, about 10 to 15 more minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more.
2. Deglaze the pot with vermouth: Add the vermouth to the pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pot, deglazing the pot as you go.
3. Add stock and seasonings: Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes.
Season to taste with more salt and add freshly ground black pepper. Discard the bay leaves. Add brandy if using.
4. Toast French bread slices: While the soup is simmering, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
Brush both sides of the French bread or baguette slices lightly with olive oil (you'll end up using about a tablespoon and a half of olive oil for this).
Put in the oven and toast until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven.
Turn the toasts over and sprinkle with the grated Gruyere cheese and Parmesan. Return to oven when it's close to serving time and bake until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
5. Serve: To serve, ladle soup into a bowl and transfer one cheesy toast onto the top of each bowl of soup.
Alternatively, you can use individual oven-proof bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350° F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned.
ENJOY!
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