Savor the exquisite flavors of Julia Child's authentic French onion soup, a culinary masterpiece that embodies the essence of French cuisine. This classic dish, perfected by the legendary chef, promises a heartwarming and unforgettable dining experience. Embark on a delightful culinary journey as we explore the secrets behind this timeless recipe, uncovering its rich history, essential ingredients, and the techniques that elevate it to gastronomic perfection.
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JULIA CHILD'S FRENCH ONION SOUP
Steps:
- Place a heavy-bottom stockpot or dutch oven on a stove over medium-low heat. Add cooking oil and butter. Saute onions until evenly coated with oil and butter.
- Cover the pot and let it sit until onions are soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. For caramelized onions, turn the heat to medium or medium-high. Stir in sugar and salt and cook uncovered, stirring often until onions are browned and reduced.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the flour and butter form a thick paste. If paste not achieved, add more butter.
- Mix in 1 cup of warm beef stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching. Stir in the remaining stock and wine. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.
- For the croutons or toasted bread, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Drizzle bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 15 minutes at 325 degrees F. Flip the slices over and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Once the soup has simmered, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the soup into a casserole dish. Stir in cognac, the 1/2 raw onion (grated), and a few ounces of Swiss cheese.
- Top the soup with toasted bread in a single layer. Top the bread with the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Be sure all the edges of bread are covered to avoid burning. Drizzle with oil or melted butter.
- Bake the casserole at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler and brown the cheeses.
- Let the soup cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts :
AUTHENTIC FRENCH ONION SOUP COURTESY OF JULIA CHILD
There are a lot of French Onion Soup recipes on Zaar, but I think that this very authentic version deserves a place on the list. After making many of the existing recipes with success, I wrote down this recipe while watching Julia Child in a very old episode of "The French Chef". It takes a little longer, but the time is very well spent. It is also more detailed than others and includes fool-proof instructions for properly browning onions as well as many extra add-ins. Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients. The sage, wine, raw onion, and cognac are optional, but they contribute a lot, so use what you have. The result is an out-of-this-world onion soup with an amazing depth of flavor. You can make this even days ahead of time and then add the toasted bread ("croutes" as Julia calls them) and cheese and bake it the day of. This can be made vegetarian by using a beefy-flavored veg broth such as Better than Bullion Beefless broth instead of beef stock. Try it and love it! Enjoy!
Provided by Anita de la Costa
Categories European
Time 2h
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Place heavy bottom stock pot or dutch over over medium-low heat.
- Add 1 Tbs cooking oil, 2Tbs butter to pot.
- Add sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil.
- Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent.
- To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium high heat.
- Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly.
- Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbs flour to the onions.
- Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (If the flour does not form a thick paste, you can add a bit more butter here).
- Stir in about 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits.
- Add the rest of the stock, wine to the soup.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Drizzle each side of the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet.
- Cook the croutes for 15 minutes in oven on each side (30 minutes total).
- Check the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Transfer to a casserole dish.
- At this point you can add the 2-3 Tbs cognac and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup.
- Add a few ounces of the swiss cheese directly into the soup and stir.
- Place the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the soup.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese in a thick layer on top of the bread making sure to cover the edges of the toast to prevent burning.
- Drizzle with a little oil or melted butter.
- Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
- Turn on broiler and brown cheese well.
- Let cool for a few minutes.
- Bon Apetit!
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Steps:
- Heat a heavy saucepan over moderate heat with the butter and oil. When the butter has melted, stir in the onions, cover, and cook slowly until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Blend in the salt and sugar, increase the heat to medium high, and let the onions brown, stirring frequently until they are a dark walnut color, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour and cook slowly, stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, then whisk in 2 cups of hot stock. When well blended, bring to the simmer, adding the rest of the stock, Cognac, and wine. Cover loosely, and simmer very slowly 1 1/2 hours, adding a little water if the liquid reduces too much. Taste for seasoning
- Divide the soup among 4 ovenproof bowls. Arrange toast on top of soup and sprinkle generously with grated cheese. Place bowls on a cookie sheet and place under a preheated broiler until cheese melts and forms a crust over the tops of the bowls. Serve immediately.
AUTHENTIC FRENCH ONION SOUP COURTESY OF JULIA CHILD
Steps:
- Place heavy bottom stock pot or dutch over over medium-low heat. 2 Add 1 Tbs cooking oil, 2Tbs butter to pot. 3 Add sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil. 4 Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until they are very tender and translucent. 5 To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium high heat. 6 Add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly. 7 Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbs flour to the onions. 8 Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (If the flour does not form a thick paste, you can add a bit more butter here). 9 Stir in about 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits. 10 Add the rest of the stock, wine, sage, and bay leaf to the soup. 11 Simmer for 30 minutes. 12 To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F. 13 Drizzle each side of the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet. 14 Cook the croutes for 15 minutes in oven on each side (30 minutes total). 15 Check the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. 16 Remove the bay leaf (if you can find it). 17 Transfer to a casserole dish. 18 At this point you can add the 2-3 Tbs cognac and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup. 19 Add a few ounces of the swiss cheese directly into the soup and stir. 20 Place the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the soup. 21 Sprinkle the rest of the cheese in a thick layer on top of the bread making sure to cover the edges of the toast to prevent burning. 22 Drizzle with a little oil or melted butter. 23 Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. 24 Turn on broiler and brown cheese well. 25 Let cool for a few minutes.
CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP
Enjoy my signature French onion soup the way my granddaughter Becky does: I make onion soup for her in a crock bowl, complete with garlic croutons and gobs of melted Swiss cheese on top. -Lou Sansevero, Ferron, Utah
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 2h15m
Yield 12 servings (2-1/4 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until softened, 10-13 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook 2 minutes longer., Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth, pepper and salt; return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush both sides with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Bake until toasted, 3-5 minutes on each side. Rub toasts with halved garlic. , To serve, place twelve 8-oz. broiler-safe bowls or ramekins on baking sheets; place 2 toasts in each. Ladle with soup; top with cheese. Broil 4 in. from heat until cheese is melted.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 172 calories, Fat 9g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 10mg cholesterol, Sodium 773mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 6g protein.
Tips:
- Use a good quality beef broth as the base of your soup. This will give the soup a rich, flavorful taste.
- Caramelize the onions slowly and patiently. This will develop their sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Use a variety of cheeses in your soup. This will give it a complex, layered flavor.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of bread for your croutons. A good crusty bread will hold up well in the soup.
- Serve the soup immediately after it is made. This will ensure that the cheese is melted and gooey.
Conclusion:
French onion soup is a classic dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is a hearty, flavorful soup that is sure to warm you up from the inside out. With a few simple tips, you can make a delicious French onion soup that will impress your friends and family.
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