The Best Way to Make French Onion Soup
Contrary to popular belief, there is nothing difficult about making French onion soup the traditional way, if you follow a good French soup recipe.
One of the most important stages in making this recipe is to caramelize the onions properly.
This means when the sugars in them are broken down by heating and this gives them the unmistakable extra sweetness that you need to make the soup really delicious.
Tips for Perfect Caramelized Onions The first thing to do when caramelizing your onions is to get the water out of them.
As long as there is a lot of water in them, the temperature will not exceed 210 degrees F because of evaporation.
The quicker you can get the water out, the faster you can start caramelizing them, so use the hot fat to saute the onions before you turn the heat down for a slow and even caramelization.
Hot fat is a liquid, therefore it conducts heat better than the metal of the cooking pot.
Salt helps to draw the moisture out too, so add a little to the fat.
Also, add a little water.
This might sound counterproductive but when you add water to the hot pan, it will steam and this adds even more heat to the mixture.
This energy goes into the onions and helps to get the moisture out of them.
Keep stirring all the time.
If anything starts to stick to the pan, it is time to turn the heat down a little.
The Beef Broth If you want to make a classic soup, use beef broth and add some flavor with sherry and thyme.
Depending on the recipe you might also add a bay leaf, some garlic, or other ingredients at this point.
The broth should have an earthy, meaty taste.
Some of these soup recipes call for the addition of other vegetables, spices, or seasonings.
This is fine if you do not mind veering away from the classic French onion recipe because there are many tasty broths you can make.
If you do want to follow the tradition recipe though, keep things simple.
The liquid you use for the dish should taste of beef with undertones of sherry or wine and a little thyme, rather than having an overly complex taste.
The Crouton and Cheese Topping This recipe is traditionally served in ovenproof onion soup bowls, topped with croutons and melted cheese.
This adds a sophisticated look to the soup and it finishes it off in style, both in terms of adding a gourmet flavor and making it look really decorative.
Slice and toast the bread and then sprinkle some cheese over it.
If you like, you can rub a raw clove of garlic over the toast before adding the cheese because this really adds flavor.
Gruyere is the traditional cheese for this soup but you might want to use Emmental for a stronger flavor.
Do not use anything crumbly like feta, too sharp like parmesan or runny like Camembert.
Broil the dish until the cheese melts, turn off the broiler, and then remove the bowls.
Let the delicious smelling recipe cool down for a few minutes, then serve it.
One of the most important stages in making this recipe is to caramelize the onions properly.
This means when the sugars in them are broken down by heating and this gives them the unmistakable extra sweetness that you need to make the soup really delicious.
Tips for Perfect Caramelized Onions The first thing to do when caramelizing your onions is to get the water out of them.
As long as there is a lot of water in them, the temperature will not exceed 210 degrees F because of evaporation.
The quicker you can get the water out, the faster you can start caramelizing them, so use the hot fat to saute the onions before you turn the heat down for a slow and even caramelization.
Hot fat is a liquid, therefore it conducts heat better than the metal of the cooking pot.
Salt helps to draw the moisture out too, so add a little to the fat.
Also, add a little water.
This might sound counterproductive but when you add water to the hot pan, it will steam and this adds even more heat to the mixture.
This energy goes into the onions and helps to get the moisture out of them.
Keep stirring all the time.
If anything starts to stick to the pan, it is time to turn the heat down a little.
The Beef Broth If you want to make a classic soup, use beef broth and add some flavor with sherry and thyme.
Depending on the recipe you might also add a bay leaf, some garlic, or other ingredients at this point.
The broth should have an earthy, meaty taste.
Some of these soup recipes call for the addition of other vegetables, spices, or seasonings.
This is fine if you do not mind veering away from the classic French onion recipe because there are many tasty broths you can make.
If you do want to follow the tradition recipe though, keep things simple.
The liquid you use for the dish should taste of beef with undertones of sherry or wine and a little thyme, rather than having an overly complex taste.
The Crouton and Cheese Topping This recipe is traditionally served in ovenproof onion soup bowls, topped with croutons and melted cheese.
This adds a sophisticated look to the soup and it finishes it off in style, both in terms of adding a gourmet flavor and making it look really decorative.
Slice and toast the bread and then sprinkle some cheese over it.
If you like, you can rub a raw clove of garlic over the toast before adding the cheese because this really adds flavor.
Gruyere is the traditional cheese for this soup but you might want to use Emmental for a stronger flavor.
Do not use anything crumbly like feta, too sharp like parmesan or runny like Camembert.
Broil the dish until the cheese melts, turn off the broiler, and then remove the bowls.
Let the delicious smelling recipe cool down for a few minutes, then serve it.
