French Onion Soup Gratinee Anyone?

French Onion Soup Gratinee

I was never a big fan of French Onion Soup because I thought it was always too dark and salty. Then one day, I found myself watching Julia Child on TV make her version of French Onion Soup.  As I listened to her describe the soup, I became intrigued so I started taking notes on what I whatever I could find.

My original notes from Julia- can you
tell I worked for Aetna at the time?

She recommended making the beef stock from scratch and I wholeheartedly agree.  Yes, it takes more time and patience, but well worth the the effort in the end.  There will be more than required for the soup, but it can be frozen and used at a later date. Carmelizing the onions mellows and sweetens their flavor and turns them to a nice, deep golden brown.  And a combination of Gruyere, Swiss and a sprinkle of Parmesan (along with Julia's splash of cognac) finishes it perfectly!

Julia Child

I did make one minor change to Julia's recipe.  Instead of using toasted slices of baguette, I use homemade croutons (again, more work, but well worth it!) because they are more manageable to eat within the soup and gives a nice texture to the top.  I don't believe in having to fight with your food when you eat it, and this is the perfect solution. So, when you have time on a cold, rainy weekend, make some French Onion Soup Gratinee- and raise a glass to Julia... you'll be glad that you did!

Beef Stock

Beef bones and veggies in roasting pan

Arrange a collection of raw, meaty bones on a roasting pan along with two onions cut in half, three carrots, cut in half, parsnips, two heads garlic, cut in half, and 4 stalks celery cut in half. Baste lightly with vegetable oil and roast in oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.  

Stock simmering in pot

Scoop bones and vegetables into a stock pot.  Remove fat from roasting pan and deglaze with 2 cups of water, simmering and scraping up whatever is left in the pan.  Pour into stock pot, and add cold water to cover ingredients.  You can add additional onions, carrots and celery at this point if you'd like. Add a large can of diced tomatoes to the pot and a handful of fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper and simmer 2 - 3 hours.  Remove bones, vegetables, garlic and herbs and put through a strainer.  

French Onion Soup Gratinee

Carmelized onions

In a large pot, sauge 6 cups sliced onions in 3 T butter and 1 T vegetable oil until softened, then add 1/2 t. each of salt and sugar.  Stir frequently about 20 minutes until onions are golden brown. Sprinkle with 2 T flour and cook slowly for 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 4 cups stock and 2 cups white wine. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes. 

To assemble the soup:  line the bottom of individual crocks with a 1/4 pat butter, then a slice of Swiss Cheese.  Ladle in the hot soup. Float a generous amount of croutons on top. Top croutons with a slice of Swiss cheese, a handful of Gruyere and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Top with a dash of cognac or sherry and bake in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.