In search of the perfect macaroni and cheese: French Onion soup

     Aaahhh!! Somehow, life has run away with me and I haven't had the opportunity to blog in about a month! Between getting sick, working five days a week and cooking like a crazy maniac, the time has slipped by! I just tallied up all the recipes that I would like to blog about and they total 17! Yeah, I don't think that I am going to really have the opportunity to blog about all of them! So, I'll just put up a few select favorites. Including, of course, French Onion soup.
     I had to blog about this recipe as I mentioned making the stock in my last blog. However, that is not the only reason. No, it is not the only reason at all. I can honestly say that this recipe was so amazing and delicious that it ruined having French onion soup anywhere else except at home. I mean, it just can't be beat! The rich flavor, the crunchiness of the bread, the cheese floating through out. Deliciousness in a bowl. AMAZING deliciousness. Did I mention it was delicious?

French Onion Soup (from Julia Child's The Way to Cook)

Timing: For the most delicious results, you want a slow simmer of 2 3/4 to 3 hrs.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. light olive oil or fresh peanut oil
8 cups thinly sliced onions (2.5 lbs)
1/2 tsp each salt and sugar
2 tbsp. flour
2 1/2 quarts homemade beef stock, at least 2 cups of which should be hot
4-5 tbsp. Cognac, Armagnac, or other good brandy
1 cup dry white French vermouth

Special equipment suggested: A flood processor with slicing blade or a hand slice is useful for the onions; a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan with cover for onion cooking and simmering.

Procedure:

Browning the onions- 40 minutes. Set the saucepan over moderate heat with the butter and oil; when the butter has melted, stir in the onions, cover the pan, and cook slowly until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Blend in the slat and sugar, raise heat to moderately high, and let the onions brown, stirring frequently until they are a dark walnut color, 25 to 30 minutes.

Simmering the soup: Sprinkle in the flour and cook slowly, stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, then whisk in 2 cups of hot stock. When well blended, bring to the simmer, adding the rest of the stock, the Cognac or brandy, and the vermouth. Cover loosely, and simmer very slowly 1 1/2 hours, adding a little water if the liquid reduces too much. Correct seasoning.

Ahead-of-time note: may be prepared in advance; chill uncovered, then cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Variation: Onion Soup Gratineed

Manufacturing note: Be sure you have a homemade type of bread with body here because flimsy loaves will disintegrate into a slimy mass.

Ingredients:
12 or more Hard-Toasted French Bread rounds
1-2 oz Swiss cheese, very thickly sliced
Ingredients for the preceding French Onion soup, heated
3/4-1 cup finely grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Assembling and baking- about 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 425 F and set the rack in the lower middle level. Line to bottom of the casserole with half the slices of toasted French bread, and spread over them the sliced cheese. Ladle on the hot onion soup and float over them a layer of toasted bread, topping with the grated cheese. At once set in the preheated oven and bake 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and browned nicely. Serve as soon as possible- if you dally too long, the toast topping may sink into the soup.

Katie's note:

Hard-toasted french bread rounds (croutes) are simply french bread cut 3/4 inch thick basted with olive oil on both sides and baked through for 25-30 minutes in a 325 F oven. I made them while the french onion soup was cooking.

     Well, I don't think I really need to say much more about how this soup came out. It was definitely a time commitment, but the results were well worth it! I very much loved my food processor that day. Oh, I should mention that I found that one large onion yields about 3 cups of sliced onion. Delicious!!

     A big thanks to my Steve and Sarah Gentile, my siblings-in-law, without whom the soup would not have been made! Thanks for the baguette pans and the soup crocks!