How to cook french onion soup? Classic recipe

Onion soup is the real pride of French culinary experts. Created many centuries ago, to this day it has preserved one very important ancient feature. The fact is that even in the Middle Ages, soup was considered an ordinary piece of bread, filled with broth (meat or vegetable). This principle still underlies the method of preparation of the famous French soup. How to cook this dish and what should be taken into account to obtain the desired result?

Modern option

Nowadays, onion soup is extremely popular in its homeland . It can be ordered at any time in a small cafe or in a respectable restaurant. Moscow chefs use the following ingredients to prepare this dish:

• 2 liters of broth (preferably beef);
• 1.25 kilograms of onions;
• 17 grams of rapeseed oil;
• 3-4 grams of sugar;
• 500 milliliters of dry wine (red or white);
• salt;
• 45 grams of butter;
• 1 leaf of laurel;
• 375 grams of grated gruyere cheese or conte;
• freshly ground pepper;
• 6 slices of fresh bread.

Soup is usually prepared using the following technology:

1. Peel the onion heads and finely chop the rings.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter, and then add rapeseed to it. The dishes are best used with a thick bottom.
3. Pour onion into the container.
4. Add sugar, pepper and a little salt to it. Pass under the lid for half an hour, stirring occasionally. The onion should soften during this time, acquire a pleasant golden hue and even slightly caramelize.
5. Pour wine into a saucepan and simmer over high heat for 10 minutes. Fluids should be half as much.
6. Add the broth and toss a leaf of laurel. Cook over medium heat under a lid for 45 minutes. The soup should darken.
7. At this time, you can fry fresh bread spread on a baking sheet for 3 minutes in an oven heated to 200 degrees.
8. Pour soup into plates. In each of them put a slice of cooked toast, sprinkle with grated cheese and put again in the oven for about 12 minutes.

Such soup is served on the table in the same bowl in which it was cooked.

A bit of history

Despite its apparent simplicity, onion soup is considered an aristocratic dish. According to one legend, Louis XV himself invented it. Once on a hunt, having refused dinner, he decided to cook an unusual dish from onions, oil and wine. It is still not known for certain whether the king did this himself or entrusted the court cook. Some French people today believe that the original soup is the best that Louis XV created during his reign. Nevertheless, the dish pleased the nobility of the palace, and over time it even became a must for a daily menu. But there are other opinions.

Some historians claim that onion soup was invented by workers in Parisian markets. Not having much money, they prepared such a stew of the cheapest kind of vegetables. Perhaps this is so. Indeed, in Paris, this soup is extremely popular. Today it can be ordered in any restaurant, cafe and even a bistro. However, some connoisseurs of the history of cooking say that this soup was known much earlier. He was cooked during the fighting for the Roman soldiers as a preventive measure to prevent possible diseases. But, despite different opinions, around the world this soup is still considered a real French dish.

What is good french soup

Doctors believe that onion soup is not only tasty, but also extremely beneficial for humans. But for this you need to be able to cook it correctly. The main thing in this dish is the onion itself with its unique properties. And any one is suitable for this soup: white, green, red, Spanish, sweet, onion or shallot. As you know, onions contain many vitamins (A, C, E, K, D, PP and group B), iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, selenium, zinc, as well as 12 essential amino acids. Due to its rich composition, this product has unique properties:

• Bactericidal effect. In his presence, many pathogens die.
• Strengthening immunity (due to the high content of zinc).
• Onions help the body produce testosterone, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the prostate gland in men.
• Reduces brittle nails and prevents hair loss.
• Strengthens the heart muscle and blood vessel walls.
• Prevents blood thinning and anemia.

This is only part of what a regular bow is capable of. By the way, in the French soup it retains all its unique properties.

Do it yourself

In order to truly appreciate all the advantages of such a dish, it is better to try to cook the famous onion soup yourself. The recipe can be borrowed from any cookbook. Take, for example, an option for which it is necessary:

• 800 grams of onion (sweet);
• 2 liters of any meat broth;
• 100 grams of cheese (hard);
• 90 grams of wheat flour;
• 50 grams of butter;
• 60 milliliters of dry white wine;
• 4 grams of sugar;
• salt;
• 35 grams of olive oil;
• black pepper;
• 8 pieces of baguette;
• 2 sprigs of thyme (dry or fresh).

Cooking Method:

1. Chop the onion in half rings.
2. Melt a piece of butter in a pan. Pour chopped onion into it and cook first over high heat. This will help the product quickly free of moisture. Then you need to reduce the fire and keep the onion under the lid for 15 minutes.
3. Add spices, garlic and sugar (for caramelization). In this form, the onion should languish for 40 minutes.
4. Introduce the flour and mix thoroughly the contents of the pan.
5. Pour all the broth and add wine. Simmer for about an hour.
6. Fry baguette separately.
7. Pour soup into refractory portioned dishes. On top of each put a piece of bread and sprinkle with cheese.
8. Put in the oven for 3-4 minutes.

Ready aromatic dish before serving should cool slightly.

Option from a famous chef

In the restaurant "Geraldine" French onion soup is prepared according to a special recipe. For such a dish, experts use:

• 0.8 kilograms of onions;
• 60 grams of vegetable oil and Gruyere cheese;
• 5 grams of salt;
• 1 gram of nutmeg;
• 40 grams of sugar and butter;
• 20 grams of wheat flour;
• 0.7 liters of chicken stock;
• 2 grams of thyme;
• 100 grams of French baguette.

The whole process consists of several successive stages:

1. Heat both types of oil in a saucepan by adding a little sugar.
2. Pour peeled and chopped onion there. Cook over low heat for 40 minutes.
3. Pour wine and wait until it partially evaporates.
4. Separately, fry the flour until golden brown and then add it to the onion.
5. Pour the broth into the contents and cook for 35 minutes over low heat.
6. Lay pieces of baguette on a baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese and bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes.

The restaurant visitors are offered such a soup in a regular plate, and cheese toasts are served separately.

Cognac Soup

Some culinary experts believe that it is not necessary to add dry wine to a classic onion soup for flavor. It is quite possible to replace brandy or cognac. Such a bold decision is justified. To make sure of this, you can cook the soup using the following recipe:

• 3 large onions;
• 35 grams of olive oil;
• 4 cups of broth;
• 1 pinch of ground pepper;
• 4 grams of sugar;
• 5 grams of salt;
• a quarter cup measuring cheddar cheese;
• 3 tablespoons of any brandy or brandy;
• bread.

In this case, a similar cooking method is used. It is necessary:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Then add to it finely chopped onions, ground pepper, salt and, of course, sugar. Fry over medium heat until the main product softens and becomes clear.
2. Make the flame minimal and simmer the contents of the pan for 70-75 minutes.
3. Add the broth along with cognac and bring the mass to a boil.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the pots into the soup.
5. Put a piece of bread in each, sprinkle with cheese and send to the oven for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the finished dish for the aroma with fresh chopped herbs.

Two-onion puree soup

Today it’s hard to say what a classic onion soup recipe should actually be. There are many different opinions on this. Some experts believe that among the initial components must be present two types of onions, dairy products and soft cheese. This soup will turn out more fragrant and piquant. To prepare it you will need:

• 500 grams of onions and leeks;
• 50 milliliters of cream;
• 100 grams of cheese (dorblu or roquefort);
• salt;
• 3 feathers of green onions;
• liter of finished broth (or boiled water);
• 50 grams of butter;
• 30 grams of wheat flour.

To make soup from these components, you need:

1. Chop onions (onions and leeks) in rings. Better if they are as thin as possible. A little leek can be left for decoration.
2. Send it to a pan with heated oil and sauté until the product begins to caramelize.
3. Transfer the prepared mass to a pan and pour the broth.
4. Salt, cover and cook until the contents of the pan are reduced by three quarters.
5. Add the grated cheese and then mash the soup using a hand blender.
6. Put the pan on the fire again, pour in the cream, pre-mixed with flour, and bring the mass to a boil. The soup is ready.

Now it is only necessary to pour it into plates and decorate with chopped green onions with pieces of leek. Croutons can be served on a saucer separately.

Slow Cooker Soup

Today, many housewives in the kitchen, among other equipment, have a multicooker. This unique technique greatly simplifies and greatly facilitates the cooking process. With its help, you can also cook French onion soup. The recipe is quite simple and requires a minimum set of ingredients:

• 3 large onion heads;
• 30 grams of butter;
• 1 liter of beef broth;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 30 grams of flour;
• 70 grams of cheese;
• a few slices of french baguette.

Cooking such a dish in a slow cooker is easy:

1. If there is no broth, then it must first be done. To do this, put meat, onions and carrots in the bowl. Add a little salt, pour boiling water and cook for 2 hours, setting the mode "Extinguishing" on the panel. After this, the slow cooker needs to be washed and only then proceed to the main part of the preparation of the soup.
2. In a bowl, put butter and onions, cut into halves or quarters. Set the “Baking” mode and fry for 10 minutes. Do not close the lid.
3. As soon as the onion darkens, change the mode to "Stew". Cook already under the lid for another 10 minutes.
4. Add the broth and flour. Set the “Steaming” mode on the panel and continue cooking for about 7–9 minutes.
5. Separately, fry croutons on both sides in a pan. After that, they should be rubbed with garlic and sprinkled with grated cheese.

Pour still hot soup into plates and put 1-2 croutons in each of them. The dish should stand for a couple of minutes so that the bread can soak well.