chefsarah.ca

Ingredients:

For the soup:

• 6 large onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups beef broth (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Gruyère croutons:

• 8 slices of baguette
• 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

Instructions:

For the soup:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are deeply caramelized and golden brown. This process may take about 30-40 minutes.
3. Season the onions with salt and black pepper.
4. Pour in the white wine (if using) and deglaze the pot, scraping up the flavourful bits from the bottom.
5. Add the beef broth, bay leaves, and fresh thyme sprigs. Bring the soup to a simmer.
6. Let the soup simmer gently for about 20-25 minutes to allow the flavours to meld. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

For the Gruyère croutons:

1. Preheat the broiler in your oven.
2. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast them under the broiler until lightly golden on both sides.
3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and generously sprinkle the grated Gruyère cheese over each slice.
4. Return the baking sheet to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.

To serve:

1. Ladle the hot French Onion Soup into individual oven-safe bowls.
2. Place a couple of Gruyère croutons on top of each bowl of soup.
3. If desired, you can place the bowls under the broiler for a few moments to further melt and brown the cheese.
4. Carefully remove the bowls from the oven and serve the French Onion Soup immediately.

Tips:

• To easily remove the thyme sprigs from the soup, bundle them with kitchen twine before adding them to the pot.
• For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of beef and chicken broths.
• Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the caramelized onions in advance and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the soup.