Most recipes for this classic use beef stock or broth. This version,
however, uses only water – the intense flavor of the caramelized onions
provides more than enough depth of flavor for vegetarians and
meat-eaters alike. And it comes from a genuine French cook, a professor
of French literature at the University of Illinois, U-C. She
demonstrated its preparation at a tiny cheese shop in Champaign one
fall weekend when I was a student there. I’ve been making it her way
ever since.
- 4 c. sliced yellow or white onions,
- NOT super-sweet
- 1/2 c. sliced shallots
- 12 cloves garlic, sliced
- 6 T. unsalted butter, divided
- 4 c. chicken stock, or other stock such as beef or vegetable
- 2 c. leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- Thinly sliced scallions for garnish
In
a large skillet (or two smaller skillets), melt the butter over high
heat. Add the onions, thyme, vinegar and bay leaves and stir to coat
the onions with the butter. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to
medium high. Let the onions “sweat” for about 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally if necessary, or until they are softened and translucent.
Uncover
the skillet, stir the onions to scrape up any browned bits on the
bottom, and reduce the heat to low. Cook the onions, stirring
occasionally, until they are dark, caramelized and gooey. This will
take at least 45 minutes and probably will take more than an hour.
Put
the onions into a large pot and return the skillet to the stove.
Increase the heat to high, add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping
up the browned bits on the bottom to deglaze the pan. Add some of the
water if needed.
Pour the wine deglazing mixture into the pot
with the onions, add the remaining water and bring to a boil. Reduce
the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for at least 30 minutes to
combine the flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and a little
more vinegar if you like). The soup may be prepared ahead of time up to
this point – in fact, it actually improves the flavor to let it stand
for awhile. Refrigerate the soup if you are holding for more than an
hour or two.
Remove the bay leaves and reheat the soup if necessary.
Preheat the broiler.
To
serve: Ladle the hot soup into deep ovenproof bowls, leaving about 1
inches of space. Place a slice of bread on top of the soup and push it
carefully and gently a little bit into the liquid. The bread shouldn’t
be completely submerged, just well moistened on the bottom.
Sprinkle the grated cheese generously over the bread. It’s OK if some of the shreds of cheese hang a little bit over the sides.
Place
the bowls on a baking sheet (this helps prevent tipping and spills) and
place under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly and
just beginning to brown. Carefully remove the bowls from the broiler,
using hot pads. (Remember, the bowls are HOT!) Place each bowl on a
plate and serve immediately.
Serves 6-8 as a main course, 12 or more as an appetizer.
This article appears in Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2010.
