French Onion Soup
Main Dish • Mushrooms, Soup, Vegetable
Source: Chef Zoe McLaughlin
Serving size: 6
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 4 large yellow onions, (3 1/2 pounds), halved and cut into inch slices
- 1 fennel bulb, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices
- Better then Bouillon Roasted Beef Base or 2 quarts good quality beef broth or beef bone broth
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 ½ tablespoons veal demi-glace
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons All Purpose flour
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 slices of crusty sourdough, 34 inch thick slices, toasted
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
- 2 ounces parmesan, grated
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half
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- Equipment:
- Dutch oven, enamel or cast-iron pot with lid that can fit 2 ½ quarts of liquid
- mixing spoon
- grater
- individual oven safe bowls
Directions
- 1. Rehydrate the porcini mushrooms; bring 2 ½ cups of water to a boil. In a heat safe bowl large enough to hold 2 ½ cups water and mushrooms. Add dried porcinis and pour boiling water over top and set aside.
- 2. Soup Base: In a large Dutch oven pot set over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Once the butter starts to foam, add in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, sliced onions, 2 bay leaves, 3 thyme sprigs and stir to evenly coat onions. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 15 minutes.
- 3. Adjust heat to medium high, season with a generous pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover again and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for another 15 minutes.
- 4. If using Better Than Bouillon Beef Base - heat 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Whisk in 8 teaspoons of beef base until dissolved. Turn off heat and set aside.
- 5. Add sliced fennel to pot and season again with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
- 6. Rub bread slices lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Toast until light golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven, while still warm, rub cut side of garlic on both sides of toasted bread, set aside.
- 7. Remove lid to let the steam escape. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until onion mixture is golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the heat if the bottom of the pan threatens to burn as the onions and fennel caramelize.
- 8. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle in the AP flour and stir for 1 minute or until flour is incorporated throughout.
- 9. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms from their liquid and then chop finely. To the onion mixture add chopped mushrooms, 1 cup white wine, remaining bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a simmer, scrapping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook until wine is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes.
- 10. Turn heat up to high, add reserved mushroom liquid to the pot, pouring the liquid slowly and discarding the last bit of liquid which will contain some grit. Pour in beef stock and demi glace, if using, and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. If freezing, let mixture cool to room temperature and store in airtight container in freezer or refrigerator.
- 11. To finish and serve; Transfer onion soup base to individual oven safe bowls or finish in cooking pot for a communal sharing dish. If using individual bowl, divide onion soup base among 6 bowls. Top with toasted bread, fit the toasted bread on the surface, breaking it up to cover the whole surface.
- Divide the grated Gruyere cheese and Parmesan among bowls and cover bread.
- 12. Transfer individual bowls or Dutch oven set on a baking sheet to preheat oven. Bake in the middle of the oven until cheese is bubbling, about 8 minutes. Turn broiler to high and finish cooking until cheese is melted and golden brown, 2 minutes. Serve immediately!