The smell of frying
onions reminds me of fairgrounds; of treasure hunting in a drizzly Camden
Market; of hotdogs on a New York street corner; of the gently sizzling start of
many a comforting soup, stew or casserole. Proust, you can keep your Madeleines.
What I am after today
is something even the fickle sugar rush of chocolate can’t provide. I need a
bowl of no-nonsense, unapologetically pungent, solidly satisfying French onion
soup with a lid of thick cheesy croutons.
Just as Ooh là là! has acquired
a different meaning in English, French onion soup has come to
mean an onion soup made with beef broth. However, if you can get
someone to make you this dish in France, it is just as likely to be made with a
chicken stock or just plain water. I’ve chosen a middle ground, going for
chicken stock, as I find the beef version too ... well, too beefy. I’m in an
onion sort of mood and that’s what I want this soup to sing of.
(The traditional method is to place the croutons on
the soup, cover with cheese and put the whole lot under a hot grill but I find
that preparing the croutons separately is quicker and safer.)
To create a little Ooh là
là!
for about
4 people you will need...
...for the soup
75g butter
1kg onions, peeled and sliced
thinly into half moons
1L good chicken stock
(or 350mls dry white wine and 650mls stock)
2 tablespoons
of whiskey or brandy (optional)
a small bunch of thyme
2 or 3 bay leaves
time and patience
(about 2 hours worth)
a little salt and black pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over a medium
heat and add the onions. Turn down the heat and cook the onions gently until
they have reduced dramatically in volume and have turned a deep caramel brown
(anything up to 2 hours), stirring occasionally, particularly towards the end.
Add the stock, whiskey or brandy (if using), and
the bunch of thyme and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Taste and
add salt and pepper if necessary.
At this point it is ready to serve, however, I
prefer to leave it cool, then chill it in the fridge overnight. I scrape off
and discard any butter than has congealed on the top before reheating while I
make the croutons.
 |
| Transform the humble onion into a pot of gold |
... for the croutons
8 slices of baguette, about 1.5cm thick
1 clove garlic, peeled
100g Gruyere (or a mixture of Gruyere and
Mozzarella) grated
Place the slices of baguette on a baking tray and
bake at about 175°C for about 15 minutes or until golden, turning once about
half way through the time. Leave to cool.
When the soup is ready to serve, rub the croutons
lightly with the clove of garlic, place on a baking tray and sprinkle with the
grated cheese. Place under a hot grill until golden and bubbling.
Ladle the soup into bowls and launch two croutons
on the surface of each golden oniony sea. Serve immediately. Ooh là là !
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| Ooh là là ! |
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