## Introduction to Authentic Soupe L'Oignon Gratinée (French Onion Soup): A Culinary Masterpiece
The classic French onion soup, known as soupe à l'oignon gratinée, is not just a dish but a culinary masterpiece. Its origins can be traced back to the 18th century, where it was a humble peasant dish made with simple ingredients. Over time, it evolved into a sophisticated and hearty soup that has become a staple in French cuisine.
This article presents two variations of this iconic soup:
1. **Traditional Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée**: This recipe stays true to the classic preparation, using caramelized onions, rich beef broth, and a generous topping of melted Gruyère cheese. Indulge in the traditional flavors and aromas that have made this soup a timeless favorite.
2. **Quick and Easy Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée**: For those seeking a simpler and faster version, this recipe offers a streamlined approach. It utilizes pre-sliced onions, a combination of beef and chicken broth, and a blend of Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses. Enjoy the essence of this classic soup with minimal time and effort.
Both recipes provide step-by-step instructions, including tips for caramelizing the onions perfectly and achieving the ideal balance of flavors. Additionally, they include information on selecting the best ingredients and variations to suit different preferences.
Whether you prefer the traditional or the quick and easy version, this article offers a comprehensive guide to creating an exceptional soupe à l'oignon gratinée. Discover the secrets behind this timeless dish and elevate your culinary skills to impress your family and friends with this French masterpiece.
**Keywords**: soupe à l'oignon gratinée, French onion soup, classic French cuisine, caramelized onions, Gruyère cheese, beef broth, traditional recipe, quick and easy recipe, cooking tips, variations.
FRENCH ONION SOUP (SOUPE à L'OIGNON GRATINéE) RECIPE
Here's the recipe you need to get the best caramelized onion- and cheese-filled flavor in every steamy, crouton-topped bowl of French onion soup.
Provided by Daniel Gritzer
Categories Appetizers and Hors d'Oeuvres Soups and Stews
Time 2h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Add fish sauce, if using, and cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1284 kcal, Carbohydrate 123 g, Cholesterol 177 mg, Fiber 8 g, Protein 63 g, SaturatedFat 35 g, Sodium 3321 mg, Sugar 26 g, Fat 61 g, ServingSize Serves 4, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
OUR FAVORITE FRENCH ONION SOUP
Buy the best beef broth you can, or better yet, make your own for a rich, full-flavored soup. And if you don't have ovenproof bowls or ramekins for the soup, don't worry-you can just top your soup with melty cheese toasts.
Provided by Rhoda Boone
Categories Soup/Stew Onion Kid-Friendly Lunch Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Frankenrecipe Small Plates
Yield Serves 4 as a main (or 6 as an appetizer)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large Dutch oven or other large pot, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the oil and onions; cook onions are until softened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and sugar; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, reducing heat slightly if onions seem to be browning too quickly, 35 to 45 minutes more.
- Add wine and raise heat to high. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Tie thyme and bay leaves into a bundle with twine. Add broth and herb bundle to pot with onions. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until broth is thickened and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Heat the broiler. Cut two 1/2-inch baguette slices for every serving of soup. Place baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until crisp and dry but not browned, about 1 minute per side. Rub one side of each toast with the garlic clove and set aside.
- Place ramekins or ovensafe bowls on a rimmed baking sheet, add 1/2 teaspoon of sherry to the bottom of each, and ladle soup on top. Top each serving of soup with two garlic-rubbed toasts. Divide cheese among the servings, covering the bread and some of the soup. Carefully transfer baking sheet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 4 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each garlic-rubbed toast with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide sherry and soup among bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)
FRENCH ONION SOUP GRATINEE
About as good as it gets! This is the version of French Onion Soup that people seek when they go to restaurants. I have been making it for 30 years and it never fails to please. It makes an exquisite presentation, too!
Provided by Jersey Tomato
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Vegetable Soup Recipes Onion Soup Recipes French Onion Soup Recipes
Time 1h15m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
- Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
- Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.
- Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
- Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 617.8 calories, Carbohydrate 39.5 g, Cholesterol 113.9 mg, Fat 35.9 g, Fiber 4.2 g, Protein 29.7 g, SaturatedFat 20.8 g, Sodium 3335.7 mg, Sugar 10.6 g
ONION SOUP GRATINEE
Provided by Food Network
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Make the soup: In a large saucepan cook the onions in the butter and oil with sugar, salt and pepper to taste over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the stock, wine, cheesecloth bag and salt and pepper to taste and cook, partially covered, skimming occasionally, 30 minutes. Season with minced onion and Cognac.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange slices of bread on baking sheet, brush both sides with melted butter and bake, turning once, for 15 minutes, or until golden. Rub with garlic.
- Transfer soup to ovenproof bowls and cover with bread slices. Sprinkle with cheeses and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes, or until soup is simmering and cheese has melted. Run under a preheat broiler until cheese is golden.
- Recommended Wine: 1995 Beaujolais Nouveau
SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE (FRENCH ONION SOUP)
Provided by Food Network
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, uncover, and add the sugar and season to taste with salt. Saute stirring often until onions are very soft and deep golden brown. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Add about 2 cups of stock and stir to blend, then add remaining 6 cups of stock and the wine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, slice the bread into at least 8 thick slices. Butter both sides of the bread with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, then toast until golden brown on both sides in the oven. Place a slice of toast in each of 8 ovenproof bowl, then fill bowls with the onion soup. Spread a thick layer of cheese on top of soup. Set bowls in 2 baking pans, place in the oven and bake until cheese has browned.
FRENCH ONION SOUP
The onion soup originates from the French cookbook "Gastronomie Pratique," which was written in 1907 by Henri Babinski. The Times published the recipe in 1974, when the book was first translated into English. It is a strange recipe for soup that yields delicious results. Baguette toasts are spread with butter and layered with grated cheese, sautéed onions and tomato purée. Then, in what seems to be a nod to stone soup, salted water is gently poured in. The dish is then simmered and baked, and by the time it is done, the "soup" is like a savory bread pudding and the top has a thick, golden crust that your guests will fight to the death over.
Provided by Amanda Hesser
Categories soups and stews, appetizer, side dish
Time 2h15m
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Toast the baguette slices and let them cool. Spread a generous layer of butter on each slice (you will need about 5 tablespoons), then lay the slices close together on a baking sheet and top with all but 1/2 cup of cheese.
- In a large saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, about 15 minutes.
- In a 5-quart casserole, arrange a layer of bread slices (about 1/3 of them). Spread 1/3 of the onions on top, followed by 1/3 of the tomato purée. Repeat for two more layers. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. To avoid boiling over, the casserole must not be more than 2/3 full.
- In a saucepan, bring 1 1/2 quarts water to a boil. Add the salt. Very slowly pour the salted water into the casserole, near the edge, so that the liquid rises just to the top layer of cheese without covering it. (Depending on the size of your casserole, you may need more or less water.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the casserole on the stove and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, then transfer to the oven and bake uncovered for 1 hour. The soup is ready when the surface looks like a crusty, golden cake and the inside is unctuous and so well blended that it is impossible to discern either cheese or onion. Each person is served some of the baked crust and some of the inside, which should be thick but not completely without liquid.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 589, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 56 grams, Fat 33 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 20 grams, SaturatedFat 20 grams, Sodium 1103 milligrams, Sugar 16 grams, TransFat 1 gram
JACQUES PEPIN'S ONION SOUP GRATINEE
This is an amazingly easy way to make classic French Onion Soup. The quality of your stock will determine the quality of the soup. This makes four lovely individual crocks of cheese topped soup, assuming your crocks will hold at least two cups.
Provided by Chef Kate
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 1h10m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium high heat for about eight minutes or until they are lightly browned.
- Add stock, salt and pepper (if your stock is salted, do not add additional salt) and boil gently for about 15 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
- Toast the baguette slices in the oven.
- Place one or two slices of baguette in the bottom of each of four ovenproof crocks.
- Add 1/4 cup of grated cheese to each crock and place the crocks on a cookie sheet.
- Ladle the onion and stock mixture into the crocks.
- Top with the remaining grated cheese, pressing some of the cheese against the lip of each crock.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until cheese is beautifully browned.
- In the last few moments, place the remaining baguette slices in the oven to warm.
- Serve the soup immediately with the toasted slices of baguette.
Tips:
- Use a good quality beef broth as the base of your soup. This will give the soup a rich and flavorful taste.
- Caramelize the onions slowly and patiently. This will bring out their natural sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Use a variety of cheeses in your soup. Gruyère and Swiss are classic choices, but you can also experiment with other types of cheese, such as Parmesan, cheddar, or fontina.
- Don't be afraid to add a splash of white wine or cognac to the soup. This will add a touch of sophistication and complexity to the flavor.
- Serve the soup hot and bubbly, with a generous sprinkling of grated cheese on top.
Conclusion:
Soupe à l'oignon gratinée is a classic French dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is rich, flavorful, and comforting, and it is sure to please everyone at your table. So next time you are looking for a delicious and easy soup to make, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!
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