French Onion Soup

I had lunch one day at a cute little French cafe near one of my schools. They had the best french onion soup, although on the menu it was called just, "onion soup." I guess the "french" part of the name was implied. Its sweet, rich, beefy flavor was not lost among gobs and gobs of cheese. Instead, the cheese was served on the side, so I could add a little at a time. I loved this idea, as trying to break off a piece of gooey cheese with a spoon was something I never got the hang of.


I've already lauded my love for the slicer blade on the food processor. In about 30 seconds, the blade turned a bowl of onions from this

to this.

Way easier than the 30 minutes it would've taken me to slice the onions by hand. Caramelizing the onions, however, took longer than I thought. After a half an hour of cooking, I only had this.


I think the heat was too low.


I'm such a procrastinator. It's shameful. I'm blogging this recipe for Branny's Charity Souper Bowl. Only I think I may be too late. I'm dedicating this post to my kitty, Sienna. She came to us three years ago. She instantly made herself at home in our place. She is amazingly tolerant with our son. And she loves hanging out with us on the couch.



French Onion Soup
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
By Ina Garten


1 stick butter
2.5 lbs large yellow onions, halved and sliced thinly
1 bay leaf
1 c sherry
1 dry white wine
8 c beef stock
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 baguette, sliced into rounds
Gruyere cheese, grated


Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and bay leaf, and sauté until they are a rich golden brown, 30-45 minutes. Add sherry, and let cook for 5 minutes, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add wine, and cook for another 15 minutes. Add the beef stock, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with the gruyere. Toast in the oven until cheese is bubbly, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully so bread doesn’t burn. Serve with soup.