French Onion Soup

This is a rare recipe for me that actually has dairy in it.  I created it for a personal chef client of mine and the response was too good not to share it.  This is a good recipe to serve at a dinner party as much of it can be made in advance, then you can portion it out at service time and broil it for a few minutes right before it hits the table.  Try it out!

Ingredients:

3 onions, cut into thin slices (saute slice)

1 Tablespoon oil

1 Tablespoon ghee

Salt

Dried Rosemary

Dried Thyme

1 gluten free baguette, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into quarters

4 cloves garlic, peeled

8 oz. gruyere cheese, slice 8 thin slices, and grate the rest

1 (32 oz.) container beef broth

2 (7 oz.) containers chicken bone broth

Dash Apple Cider Vingear (you can also substitute balsamic or a good wine here)

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350*F.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil and ghee, then add the onions and a few dashes of salt.  Over medium heat, stir the onion until most of the liquid is cooked out. Continue to let the onions sit to brown and stir occasionally, until  all the onions are carmelized.  You may need to lower the heat as the process continues.  It can take about 30 minutes to do this well.  As you near the end of this process add a few dashes of rosemary and few dashes of thyme.

Meanwhile, toast your baguette slices until just lightly crisp. no color to them at all.  Rub the warm toasted slices with garlic on both sides.

Top the garlic bread with 1 slice of gruyere each and place on a baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Set aside.

Raise oven to a broil and (with oven mitts) move the oven rack to just below the broiler.

Once the onions are carmelized, deglaze the pan by adding the beef broth, chicken broth, and vinegar and stirring up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt, rosemary  and thyme if needed.

To serve:

Fill a few oven safe bowls with the finished soup.  Top each bowl with 1 or 2 slices of the prepared bread. Top each bowl with a handful of the remaining grated gruyere cheese.

Place your finished bowls on a baking sheet and broil on the top rack for 3 minutes.  Watch this.  You don’t want the bread to burn.

Remove from the oven with good oven mitts, it will be screaming hot.

Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy immediately after that.  It’s best when warm!

5 from 1 reviews
French Onion Soup
 
Sherri:
Recipe type: French Onion Soup
Serves: 4 large bowls
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Ingredients
  • 3 onions, cut into thin slices (saute slice)
  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • 1 Tablespoon ghee
  • Salt
  • Dried Rosemary
  • Dried Thyme
  • 1 gluten free baguette, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into quarters
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 8 oz. gruyere cheese, slice 8 thin slices, and grate the rest
  • 1 (32 oz.) container beef broth
  • 2 (7 oz.) containers chicken bone broth
  • Dash Apple Cider Vingear, you can also substitute balsamic or a good wine here
  • 1 bay leaf
Directions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350*F.
  2. In a large saute pan, heat the oil and ghee, then add the onions and a few dashes of salt.  Over medium heat, stir the onion until most of the liquid is cooked out. Continue to let the onions sit to brown and stir occasionally, until  all the onions are carmelized.  You may need to lower the heat as the process continues.  It can take about 30 minutes to do this well.  As you near the end of this process add a few dashes of rosemary and few dashes of thyme.
  3. Meanwhile, toast your baguette slices until just lightly crisp. no color to them at all.  Rub the warm toasted slices with garlic on both sides.
  4. Top the garlic bread with 1 slice of gruyere each and place on a baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Set aside.
  5. Raise oven to a broil and (with oven mitts) move the oven rack to just below the broiler.
  6. Once the onions are carmelized, deglaze the pan by adding the beef broth, chicken broth, and vinegar and stirring up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt, rosemary  and thyme if needed.
  7. To serve:
  8. Fill a few oven safe bowls with the finished soup.  Top each bowl with 1 or 2 slices of the prepared bread. Top each bowl with a handful of the remaining grated gruyere cheese.
  9. Place your finished bowls on a baking sheet and broil on the top rack for 3 minutes.  Watch this.  You don't want the bread to burn.
  10. Remove from the oven with good oven mitts, it will be screaming hot.
  11. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy immediately after that.  It's best when warm!