Name: French Onion Soup
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 pounds sweet onions (thinly sliced); 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 4 sprigs thyme; 2 tablespoons flour; ½ cup white wine; 1 quart beef stock; 2 tablespoons veal demi-glace (optional); 2 cups Gruyere cheese (grated); 4 half slices Bob's Pain aux Lardons

A bowl of French onion soup with two slices of bread. — Photo: Wil Fernandez

This homey, comforting soup is perfect for a cool fall evening. I love Bob’s Pain aux Lardons because those little bites of bacon just make the soup even more delicious. You don’t have to use the veal demi-glace, but it’s worth it for the richer flavor.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup white wine
1 quart beef stock
2 tablespoons veal demi-glace, optional
2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
4 half slices Bob's Pain aux Lardons

Instructions

In a heavy-bottom cast-iron pot, melt the butter and olive oil together until hot. Add the onions and sugar and cook down slowly, keeping the heat on medium or medium-low. As they cook and soften, scrape up the browned bits and stir so that they don’t burn. Cook the onions until they are golden brown, about an hour and a half.
When the onions are soft and brown, add the garlic and thyme, then add the flour. Cook 2 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until it is completely evaporated, stirring constantly. Add the stock and demi-glace and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly for about 30 more minutes.
Preheat the broiler.
Remove the thyme sprigs. Pour the soup into 4 small oven-proof bowls on a lined baking sheet. Top with a slice of bread and then a generous mound of cheese. Put under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns.

Nutrition

French Onion Soup