Thursday, January 26, 2006
French Onion Soup
Soupe a L'Oignon au Fromage (French Onion Soup)
Here's another one of those yummy onion recipes. Restaurants usually mess it up by using beef broth- what a shame. Here's the healthy, veggie, version of this French classic.
Ingredients A Misto Sprayer loaded with EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) 1 Tsp butter extract 6 large onions (about 5 pounds), thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup brandy (may omit if conscious requires) 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 6 cups vegetable broth, homemade or canned Salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 (1/2-inch thick) slices French bread, toasted 3/4 pound coarsely grated Gruyere Cheese (may sub with Swiss or Monster-ella if necessary),
Procedure: Spray the bottom of a 5 Qt. pot with EVOO over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized, about 40 minutes. Spray with a tab of EVOO occasionally if needed, but you probably won't need to do so.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and add the brandy (fire risk, you understand). Return the pot to the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost dry; this will virtually guarantee that all the alcohol from the brandy is removed. Sprinkle the onions with the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. While stirring, slowly add the broth. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, with the cover slightly ajar, about 20 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
Arrange a rack about 4 inches from the broiler and preheat.
Arrange 6 ovenproof crocks, deep soup bowls, or those humongous coffee cups, on a baking sheet and ladle the hot soup into them. Arrange 2 slices of toasted bread on top of each soup and sprinkle with the cheese.
Broil the soups until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve immediately. Yummy.
Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour
