Recettino

French Onion Soup

Deep amber caramelised onion broth topped with a croûton raft and bubbling Gruyère — a bistro icon worth every stirring minute.

4 people · prep 20 min · cook 1 uur 30 min · Total 1 uur 50 min

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kgyellow onions (thinly sliced)
  • 50 gunsalted butter
  • 1 tbspolive oil
  • 150 mldry white wine
  • 30 mlcognac or brandy
  • 1.2 lbeef stock
  • 4 sprigfresh thyme
  • 1 piecebay leaf
  • salt and black pepper (to taste)
  • 8 slicebaguette (1.5 cm thick, toasted)
  • 160 gGruyère (grated)

Method

  1. 1.Melt butter with olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp salt; cook stirring every 5 minutes for 55–65 minutes until deeply caramelised and jammy.
  2. 2.Deglaze with cognac, then white wine; scrape up all browned bits. Add thyme, bay leaf, and beef stock; simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; discard herbs.
  3. 3.Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls set on a baking sheet. Float 2 toasted baguette slices on each, and pile with Gruyère.
  4. 4.Grill/broil until cheese is bubbling and spotted golden, 3–4 minutes. Serve immediately with caution — bowls will be extremely hot.