This French onion soup takes two days to make. With the help of a slow cooker it requires minimal effort. Day one is slowly caramelising the onions in a slow cooker; day two is slowly bubbling away the soup with a little grilling in the oven to finish. My mother gave me these gorgeous little pots that are ovenproof. They’re the perfect for single serve dishes and get used weekly in our home.
French onion soup is one my Canadian’s favourites and he requests it regularly throughout the autumn and winter months. It’s thick, luscious and savoury. The key to this soup the length of time spent caramelising onions. You could do it on the stove pot, but I use the slow cooker as it makes things easier. I love the simplicity of it; throw everything in and leave for a few hours. You want onions that are soft with a deep dark colour but not burnt. They will be intense in their onion-ness and slightly sticky from the sugar. Good quality beef stock is also key. Please don’t ruin this soup by using a powdered stock. Buy this best broth or stock you can afford. This is the one soup where it does matter.
The brandy adds another dimension, but is completely optional. I like to keep a bottle of brandy in the kitchen. It’s a lovely way to lift autumn soups such as this french onion or a splash with mushrooms. Not an expensive bottle, but something that adds a little lift once in a while. Try a drizzle over steak while it’s in the pan, you can thank me later.
Bastille Day is coming up soon and this is a beautiful excuse to make beautiful French food with friends. This soup is easy to make ahead, applying the finishing touch of grilled cheese in the last minute before serving. This is perfect in little bowls with some gorgeous french baguette sliced on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 kg onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 litres beef stock
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 4 to 6 slices baguette
- 1/3 cup grated gruyere cheese
- 1 tsp picked fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
In a large bowl, toss the onions, olive oil, salt and brown sugar together and then scatter across the base of your slow cooker. Turn on low and leave for 8 hours until deliciously caramelised. Then add the beef stock, fresh thyme leaves, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar and a little brandy, Leave on low and cook for another 8 hours, until luscious and savoury.
Turn the oven onto grill. Put spoonfuls of the thick oniony mixture into oven proof bowls. Top each bowl with one or two slices of baguette and a sprinkle of the cheese and thyme. Grill until the cheese is hot and bubbling.
Serve with extra slices of toasted baguette on the side.
