Onion Soup

Name: Onion Soup
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter; 4 large onions, thinly sliced (about 6 cups); 5 cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade, warmed; 5 cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade, warmed; 4 croutons, made with bread slices and butter instead of oil; 4 croutons, made with bread slices and butter instead of oil; 4 croutons, made with bread slices and butter instead of oil; 4 croutons, made with bread slices and butter instead of oil; 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs or a pinch of dried; 2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs or a pinch of dried; 1 bay leaf; 2 or 3 fresh parsley sprigs; Salt and black pepper to taste; Salt and black pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons cognac or other brandy, optional; 2 tablespoons cognac or other brandy, optional

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr

Appears in

The Best Recipes in the World

By Mark Bittman

Published 2005

About

There’s some sort of misunderstanding in many American “French” restaurants, which seem to believe that onion soup should look like pizza, overloaded with gooey cheese. The real thing—and this is it—is something else entirely; robust, flavorful, and elegant.

This is as compelling a reason as there is to make your own beef stock.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
4 large onions, thinly sliced (about

Europe
France
Soup
Mediterranean

Method

Melt the butter in a large, deep saucepan or casserole over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and just beginning to brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Adjust the heat so they do not brown too fast but rather slowly turn into a melting mass.
Preheat the oven to