french onion soup (for one)


Categories: Soups, Posted by Sandy Bergsten

Ingredients:

Caramelized Onions

3 pounds yellow onions (about 5-6)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon sugar

Soup

Ingredients:

¼ cup caramelized onions

½ small bay leaf

Dash dried thyme

1 ½ tablespoons dry sherry

1 ¼ cups beef broth

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Grind of black pepper

Croutes

2 lightly toasted baguette slices

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons grated gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese 

Freshly ground pepper

 

Directions:

Peel the onions then cut in half lengthwise and thinly slice. (A Cuisinart fitted with the slicing disc or a mandolin and a cut-resistant steel mesh glove will greatly aid in this process.)

Melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed pot. Add the sliced onions along with one and half teaspoons of salt. Stir well and cover with a lid. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about ten to fifteen minutes until the onions have “sweated” and are translucent.

Add a half teaspoon sugar, stir well and continue cooking over medium to medium-low heat stirring frequently for about 40 minutes until beautifully golden brown. Take care to scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan as you stir.

Let the onions cool completely. Divide the onion mixture into four equal parts, roughly ¼ cup each. Place in Ziploc bags and refrigerate for up to two days or freeze for up to three months. Bring the onions to room temperature before proceeding.

For each serving of soup place the onions, bay leaf, dried thyme, freshly ground pepper and sherry in a small saucepan. Stir well. Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.

Simmer on medium-low heat for twenty minutes, stirring frequently. Taste for seasoning. Add a pinch of salt and more pepper if needed.

Meanwhile preheat the broiler and place the bread rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread ¼ teaspoon mustard on each slice. Top with a heaping tablespoon of grated cheese, letting the cheese cascade of the bread, and a grind of fresh pepper. Watching closely broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.

Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Ladle into a bowl and top with two slices of toast. Serve piping hot.

Serves 1

(Use additional portions of onions to double, triple or quadruple the soup)

post a comment

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.