Bistro French Onion Soup
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: French
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 baguette, sliced ¾"- 1" thick
  • garlic cloves, peeled
  • 5-6 c. thinly sliced yellow onions
  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 t. Kosher salt
  • ¼ t. sugar
  • 3 T. flour
  • 2 quarts Beef Bouillon*- I used Better than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base brand.
  • (*2 quarts boiling water plus about 3 T. Better than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base)
  • ½ c. merlot
  • 2 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. Slice baguette and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  2. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes, turning over halfway through.Lightly brush each side with olive oil.
  3. Rub both sides with fresh garlic. After preparing soup, any unused bread may be sliced into croutons for salads. Yum!
  4. Peel onions and trim off root and stem ends. Cut pole to pole, then thinly slice.
  5. In a Dutch Oven, melt butter and combine with oil. Toss onions in oil/butter mixture. Cook covered over medium low heat for approximately 20 minutes.
  6. Increase heat to medium and add in salt and sugar which will help the onions brown. Cook, stirring frequently for about 30-40 minutes until acquiring a golden brown appearance.
  7. Sprinkle flour over onions and stir for approximately 3 minutes. Flour should obtain a brown coloring.
  8. Add the red wine
  9. Remove from the heat. Whisk in 1 quart of bouillon until well blended. Blend in the remaining bouillon. Taste and season as desired. Be careful not to oversalt!
  10. Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
  11. With a lid partially covering the broth, simmer for 30-40 minutes.
  12. Remove thyme and bay leaves. Adjust seasoning, if needed.
  13. Ladle soup into desired soup crocks or mugs. Place toasted baguette slices on top of soup topped with a generous handful of shredded Gruyere cheese.
  14. Place soup on tray. Drizzle olive oil on top of cheese with a splash of broth spooned over top. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 325 degree oven. During the last 2 minutes, broil to slightly brown the top.
Recipe by My Dragonfly Cafe at https://mydragonflycafe.com/bistro-french-onion-soup/