There is nothing quite like the smell of onions cooking, simmering beef stock, and a loaf of fresh bread in the oven to make you feel like all is right in the world. French Onion soup combines all of these delicious scents and flavors into one comfort food dish that is one of my all time favorite recipes.
I have made French Onion soup before, but never with Julia Child’s Soup A L’Oignon recipe from The Art of French Cooking so I decided I needed to attempt her style.
The recipe itself is very easy and straightforward, it just takes some time and attention on the front end to make sure the onions cook properly and don’t burn. I actually didn’t make enough onions the first times since I didn’t realize just how much they actually do cook down in the caramelizing process.
For this recipe, I used 6 medium sweet yellow onions and sliced them lengthwise into even, thin strips. I added 4 tbsp of butter to the pan and drizzled olive oil over the onions once they were in the pan.
Watching onions cook is fascinating to me. They start as these bright white, pungent rings, but over the course of 30 minutes on low heat, they transform into soft and sweet brown mushy things. They lose almost all of their volume which is why you may have to make a second batch of onions like I did if you don’t have a big enough pan.
Once the onions are thoroughly caramelized and brown, add the beef stock, salt/pepper, and a bay leaf. The key to good French Onion Soup is to allow the soup to simmer on low heat for as long as possible, at least 1 hour. This allows the flavors to combine and the sweetness of the onions to permeate the stock.
I garnished the finished soup with grated Swiss and Gruyere cheese and served it with a baguette and fresh salad. It is a simple but delicious meal that will warm your body and soul. Bon Appetit!
