French Onion Soup With Croutes
Submitted by brianjwood on January 27, 2008 at 10:18 am

DESCRIPTION
French Onion Soup with Croutes

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Misc. Recipes & Requests

INSTRUCTIONS
A lovely, deeply satisfying Winter soup. Take your time and enjoy.
Cheers, Brian

French Onion Soup with Croutons
50g/2oz/1/4C Butter
15ml/1 tbsp olive oil
2kg/4 1/2lb yellow onions, peeled & sliced
5ml/1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
5ml/1 tsp sugar, caster or fine
15ml/1 tbsp sherry vinegar (or cider)
1.5L/2 ½ pint/6 ¼ Cups beef stock (or chicken or duck)
25ml/1 ½ tbsp flour, all purpose
150ml/¼ pint/2/3 Cup dry white wine
45ml/3 tbsp brandy
Salt and black pepper
For the croutes
6-12 slices baguette, 1 day old, 2.5cm/1inch thick
1clove garlic halved
15ml/1 tbsp French mustard
115gm/4 oz/1 cup Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated

The long slow cooking of the onions is the key to success with this recipe.I f the onions brown too quickly they tend to make the soup slightly bitter.
Melt butter and oil in a large pan and saute the onions, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes over medium heat until they begin to soften.
Stir in the thyme, reduce the heat to very low and cook the onions, covered, for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are very soft and golden yellow.
Uncover the pan and increase the heat slightly, stir in the sugar, and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the onions start to brown. Add the sherry vinegar and raise the heat again and continue coking, stirring frequently, until the onions turn a deep golden brown. This could take up to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in another pan. Stir the flour into the onions and cook for 2 minutes or so, then gradually stir in the stock, stirring. Add the wine and brandy and season the stock to taste with salt and ground black pepper, then simmer for 15 minutes.
For the croutes, preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas mark 2. Put the bread slices on a greased baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are dry and slightly browned. Rub the bread with the cut side of the garlic and spread on the mustard. Sprinkle the grated gruyere over the slices.
Preheat the grill/broiler on the hottest setting. Ladle the soup equally into a large flame-proof pan or 6 flame-proof bowl. Float the bread croutes on the soup then grill until the cheese melts, bubbles and browns.
Serve immediately.