The key to this soup is homemade beef stock. Toasting the bread before broiling the soup also prevents from having soggy bread. This soup is very simple, very inexpensive, very quick to make, yet it tastes like something you would get in a good restaurant.
You can certainly use a gluten-free French-style bread, and leave off the cheese if you can’t do it or use a cheese substitute. The soup itself is tasty without it.
3 onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour (spelt or rice works fine)
6 cups beef stock
1/4 cup milk (non-dairy is fine)
1/4 lb grated cheese (Gruyere is classic, but you can also use mozzarella or Romano, or grateable non-dairy cheese)
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
6 slices French bread (stale is fine)
Heat butter in stockpot and cook onions until slightly browned. Sprinkle with flour and cook over a low heat until onions become golden (do not allow them to get dark brown). Add beef stock and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, toast bread slices until they are slightly dry, and boil the milk. Add milk and pour soup into either four ovenproof bowls or a casserole dish. Top soup with bread slices and then sprinkle with cheese. Place under broiler until cheese browns, and then serve.
I’m submitting this post as part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday Blog Carnival.
January 15, 2010 at 12:38 am |
Looks great! We’ve been doing a lot of onion soup lately too, but without the bread cheese. Yours makes it a whole meal
January 15, 2010 at 1:31 am |
There is nothing quite like onion soup in the winter. Thanks for sharing! Lovely addition to the carnival!