French Onion Soup

This has been one of my favorite meals since I was a little kid. When I first became a vegetarian, my grandma was hesitant  to convert the recipe for me. She was worried that it wouldn't taste as good without beef stock. I finally convinced her to try and it was just as good (if not better!). Now she even makes it with vegetable broth when I'm not home. I decided I was long overdue to learn how to make it myself. The original recipe came from Julia Child, but my grandma has tweaked and perfected it over the years.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
5 cups of yellow onions
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 quarts vegetable stock (obviously, the original recipe calls for beef broth)
1/2 cup dry red wine (the original calls for white wine, but we use red to give the broth that rich color it would normally get from the beef stock)
1 baguette
2 cups Swiss cheese

Note: I tripled the recipe. Because leftovers are awesome.

Serves: 6 - 8 (575 calories per serving); Prep time: 30 - 45 minutes; Cooking time: nearly two hours

Directions:
1. Cut the baguette into 1-inch slices.

2. Put the slices onto a baking tray. Set your oven's broiler to High. Put the bread in the oven until the tops are golden brown. The bread should toast pretty quickly, so you'll want to just stand by the oven and not walk away to do something else.

3. Flip slices, put back in oven, and toast the other sides. The great thing about making the croutons is that you can do it in advance. I actually made mine a week before I made the soup. I just put them in a baggie and stored them at room temperature.

4. Peel the onions and slice them in half.

Note: This will be the most excruciating part of the whole process. You will cry like you've never cried before. I was texting a friend when the onion tear gas hit me.

5. Cut the onions into thin slices. Or use a Food Processor, if you're lazy like me.

6. Put the butter and oil in a large pot and set the burner to Medium. Add the onions.

7. Cover the pot and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

8. Take the lid off the pan, turn up the burner to Medium-High, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden.

9. During this time, you'll want to grate the Swiss cheese. I used the Food Processor again.

10. After the onions have cooked for 40 minutes, sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes.

11. Add the vegetable stock and red wine to the pot.

12. Bring the soup to a boil, and then let simmer for 40 minutes.

I used my 40 minute break to make my lunch, The Best Damn Egg Salad, and to ponder the mysteries of life with Ruby and Tobey.

The great thing about this soup is once the 40 minute simmer is over, you can turn the burner off and let it sit, uncovered, until you actually want it. I made my soup hours in advance and then reheated it to a simmer when we were ready to have dinner.

13. Once it's hot again (should you make it in advance), put the soup into oven-proof bowls or a dish, and put the croutons in.

14. Pile the cheese on high.

15. Set your oven's broiler to High and put the bowls in the oven.

16. Keep in the oven until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

17. Stuff into face.

Recipe Review: It's labor intensive and time consuming but it is completely worth it. You won't even miss the beef broth, I promise!

Happy eating.

Cheers,
Emma