- Preparation time
- 60 mins
- Cooking time
- 90 mins
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Serves
- 6 people
- Meal course
- Soup
- Posted by
- Posted on
- April 7, 2016
- 2 1/2 lb
- Onion - Yellow
- 1 Tbsp
- Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tbsp
- Butter
- 1/2 tsp
- Sugar - White
- 1 tsp
- Salt
- 2 qt
- Broth - Beef
- 1 Cup
- Red Wine
- 1 Individual
- Bay Leaf
- 1/2 tsp
- Sage - Dried
- 1/2 lb
- Gruyere Cheese
- 3 Tbsp
- Cognac
- 1 Baguette
- French Bread
- 4 Tbsp
- Olive Oil
You can make this soup days ahead of time then add the toasted bread, cheese and bake it the day of eating. The finished soup can also be frozen but the bread gets a little soggy after freezing. When freezing, freeze the soup in its dish(es) first then remove from the freezer, vacuum seal and put back in the freezer – Don’t try to vacuum seal before the soup is already frozen.
An alternative method with the bread is to preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere then broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere slices on top. I prefer the method in the recipe but this works too.
- Peel all onions then then thinly slice 2 of them - Set the 3rd aside as half of it it will be grated raw later in the recipe
- Place heavy bottom stock pot or dutch over over medium-low heat.
- Add 1 Tbs cooking oil & 2Tbs butter to pot.
- Add the 2lbs sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil.
- Add the 2lbs sliced onions and stir until they are evenly coated with the oil.
- To brown or caramelize the onions turn heat under pot to medium or medium high heat.
- Add 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the onions have browned and reduced significantly.
- Once caramelized, reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 Tbs flour to the onions.
- Brown the flour for about 2-3 minutes trying not to scorch it. (If the flour does not form a thick paste, you can add a bit more butter here).
- Stir in about 1 cup of warm broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up all of the cooked-on bits.
- Add the rest of the broth, wine, sage, and bay leaf to the soup.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- To make the "croutes" (toasted bread), heat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Drizzle each side of the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet.
- Cook the croutes for 15 minutes in oven on each side (30 minutes total).
- Check the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Turn off heat to the soup and remove the bay leaf (if you can find it).
- At this point you can add the cognac and grate the raw onion into the soup.
- Add a few ounces of the cheese directly into the soup and stir.
- Transfer Soup to a casserole dish (Or multiple ramekins if making individual servings)
- Place the toasted bread in a single layer on top of the soup.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese in a thick layer on top of the bread making sure to cover the edges of the toast to prevent burning.
- Drizzle with a little oil or melted butter.
- Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
- Turn on broiler and brown cheese well or use a crème brulee torch.
- Let cool for a few minutes then Bon Apetit!