You’re probably thinking onion soup? Yes, onion soup! It is understandable because in this part of the world, onions are normally used in preparing soups like palm nut soup, light soup, groundnut soup, etc. You will be amazed at how delicious this simple onion soup is; it is the perfect comfort soup for cold nights.
French Onion Soup is a classic French soup made with caramelised onions and brown beef stock. The secret to the perfect onion soup is ensuring that your onions caramelise but not burn, to avoid a bitter soup taste and give you the most flavourful and tasty soup you have ever made. You need just a handful of ingredients to prepare this heartwarming soup.
Ingredients:
- Yellow onions, sliced thin -3.8 kg
- Clarified butter – 240 ml
- Brown Beef stock – 2.8 litres
- Fresh thyme – 15 g
- Salt and pepper – To taste
- Sherry – 240 ml
- Toasted French bread slices as needed for garnish
- Gruyère cheese, grated as needed for garnish
- Garlic paste /mince garlic -1tbsp.
- Fresh parsley -1tbsp.
Method
- Sauté the onions in the butter over low heat in a large, heavy saucepan stirring often. Carefully cook the onions until they caramelise thoroughly and soften without burning, approximately 1 hour.
- Deglaze the pan with 8 fluid ounces (240 ml) beef stock. Stir, scraping the pan to release the browned onions. Cook au sec, approximately 5 minutes. Add more stock and repeat this process 4 to 6 times until the onions are a very dark, even brown.
- Add the remaining beef stock, the chicken stock and thyme.
- Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes to develop flavour. Adjust the seasonings and add the sherry.
- Serve in warm bowls. Top each portion with a slice of toasted French bread and a thick layer of cheese. Place under the broiler or salamander until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
