Julia Child’s French Onion Soup

This is time consuming but the real deal for a special occasion.

Julia does nothing simple.  It takes strength to handle hot pot or tray.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 Cups Yellow Onions, sliced thin and cut in half (no circles)

• 1/2 Yellow Onion, raw (I don’t use)

• Olive Oil, 4 Tbsp 

• French Bread or baguette

• ½ cup white wine or vermouth

• Parmesan Cheese, 4 ounces

• Guryev Cheese, Grated, about 12 ounces

• Salt and Pepper

• Beef Stock, 8 cups (I use low sodium Pacific or Imagine)

• Flour, 3 Tbsp

• Sugar, 1/2 tsp

• Butter, 2 Tbsp

• Cooking Oil, 1 Tbsp

Cooking Instructions:

Heat a heavy, stock pot over medium-low heat and add the cooking oil once the pot is hot. Melt the butter into the hot oil.  Stir the sliced onions into the oil/butter mix, ensuring they are evenly coated. Cover the stock pot and cook for around 20 minutes checking to make sure they aren’t burning. Onions should be clear and very tender once finished. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and add the sugar and 1tsp salt. Continue cooking while stirring until onions are thoroughly browned (caramelized). 20 min.

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 3 Tbsp flour. Cook the flour 2-3 minutes until it forms a thick paste (add more butter if needed).  Stir in 1 cup of very hot beef stock, and stir heavily for a couple seconds.

Add the rest of the stock, wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Brush both sides of french bread slices with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. (w parchment, I hate cleaning oil off pans). Cook the bread in the oven for 15 minutes on each side til lightly browned. (I use Rose 32, the best baguettes, day old and thoroughly dried so I can skip turning over part) sliced approx. ½-1” thick.

Taste soup, and add salt and pepper as needed.

Add cognac and grate the 1/2 raw onion into the soup. Add a little bit of the Gruyere/ swiss cheese to the soup, preserving most of it for the top. (I skip this)