This classic French soup is made with Rich Beef-Bone Stock and a heavy blanket of sautéed onions and leeks. You can lighten it up a bit by serving the soup as is, without the traditional cheese and bread topping. In Parisian bistros, onion soup is prepared in an ovenproof bowl, topped with a slice of crusty bread, smothered with grated Gruyère, and then broiled. I find this method a bit heavy-handed. I like to serve the soup topped with a Double-Cheese Croute, which calls to mind the comforting bread and cheese topping that is so much a part of the classic recipe without masking the natural richness of the soup.
If there’s any way you can make this soup a day ahead, you should do so. The onions, stock, and wine all “settle down” overnight and become good friends. This is a main-course soup where homemade beef stock really pays off.
Excerpted from Soup Swap by Kathy Gunst, Published by Chronicle Books LLC. Text ©2016 by Kathy Gunst. Photographs by Yvonne Duivenvoorden, ©2016 by Chronicle Books LLC.
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- 3 large leeks
- 2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons butter
- 3 pounds [1.4 kg] onions, yellow and red or just yellow very thinly sliced
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/4 cups [300 ml] dry red wine
- 1/4 cup [60 ml] cognac
- 7 cups [1.7 L] Basic Beef Stock, Rich Beef-Bone Broth, or canned low-sodium broth (see headnote for recipe link)
- 8 - 12 Double-Cheese Croutes (see headnote for recipe link)
- 1/2 cup [30 g] packed chopped fresh parsley
- Trim off the dark green sections from the leeks and save for making vegetable stock. Halve the pale green and white sections lengthwise. Rinse under cold running water, pat dry, and cut crosswise into thin pieces.
- In a large skillet, or two medium skillets, over very low heat, warm the olive oil and butter. Add the leeks and onions to the skillet(s) and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, or until the onions are buttery and soft but not brown. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the wine and Cognac, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 3 minutes.
- In a large stockpot over high heat, bring the beef stock to a boil. Add the onions, leeks, and all the liquid to the stock, scraping up any bits clinging to the bottom of the skillet(s). Turn the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for about 1 hour. Taste the soup. It should be very flavorful. If the flavor is weak, turn the heat to medium-high and simmer vigorously for another 10 minutes.
- Ladle the soup into mugs or bowls, top each with a croute, and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
