My mum used to say that I’m a real Breton; I like my soup! Well, that’s as good an argument as any, I suppose!
Soups can be a meal on their own, or used to complement other courses in a full meal. Either way, they’re delicious!
Here are some of my personal favourites.
This first one is gratefully adapted from this original.
French onion soup
A simple yet tasty French onion soup
Equipment
- Kitchen knife suitable for chopping onions
- Bread board
- Large skillet 5 or 6 litre capacity, electric or other
- Spatula
- Measuring spoons
- 8 Oven safe soup bowls onion soup bowls are ideal
- Oven tray optional
Ingredients
Basic soup
- 1.5 kg red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced ideally, slice from root to stem
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil olive, safflower, or canola, as preferred
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 10 g garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups beef and/or chicken stock beef is traditional
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- black pepper, freshly ground to taste
Croutons
- 8 slices French baguette thick; adapt count to bowl surface area
Cheese
- 500 g gruyère, sliced or grated
Instructions
Caramelize the onions
- In the skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil on medium heat. Add the onions and toss to coat with the olive oil.1.5 kg red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced, 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- Cook the onions, stirring often, until they have softened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium high. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to brown, about 15 more minutes.4 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp butter
- Sprinkle with sugar (to help with the caramelization) and 1 teaspoon of salt. Continue to cook until the onions are well browned, about 10 to 15 more minutes.1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt
- Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more.10 g garlic
Deglaze
- Add the wine or vermouth to the pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pot, deglazing the pot as you go.1/2 cup dry white wine
Complete the base
- Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes.8 cups beef and/or chicken stock, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, black pepper, freshly ground
- Season to taste with more salt and add freshly ground black pepper. Discard the bay leaves.
- Pour the soup into oven-safe bowls.
Add the toppings
- If desired, the croutons can be toasted on one or both sides (with an optional coating of oil). Place the croutons (toasted or natural) into the soup bowls so as to cover the surface of the soup in part or in full, and such that they do not protrude above the rim of the bowls.8 slices French baguette
- Distribute the cheese evenly over the interior surface of the bowls.
Broil
- Place the bowls in the oven—on a tray, if you're concerned about spills—and broil until the cheese bubbles and the bread is slightly browned.