Traditionally, french onion soup is made with more of a broth texture and relies heavily on the sherry to add taste. However, this recipe involves a hybrid of french onion soup and cream of onion soup to utilize a variety of flavors all in one soup. This recipe is great for beginners and those looking to try something new.
Ingredients:
2 cups of sliced red onion
1/3 cup of coarsely chopped rosemary
1 cup of sherry
1 cup of water
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of flour
1 large slice of sourdough bread
2/3 cup of grated Gruyere cheese
1 tbsp of salt
1 tbsp of pepper
1/3 cup of butter
Preparation
Begin by sauteing the sliced onions in a sauteing pan with a tbsp of butter and a 1/2 cup of flour and a 1/4 cup of sherry until onions are soft. Add the remaining butter and sauteed onions into your soup pot and stir. Then add the milk and water and stir until boiling. Continue stirring while adding the remainder of the sherry into your soup mix. Finally, add the rosemary, salt and pepper to your mixture. Allow to cool.
Serving
Once your soup has cooled down. Pour the soup into a large soup bowl. Take your large slice of sourdough bread and cut it into the shape of the bowl, so that it covers the entire top of the soup. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese generously, over the top of the bread. Place the soup bowl, on a baking pan and in the oven, at 350 degrees, for about 10-15 minutes. You will know that your soup is ready when you see burnt brown bubbles on the top of your cheese. If you do not see the burnt markings, place the soup back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes, until they appear. Once they have, allow to cool and enjoy.
Remarks
This is the kind of soup that should bring out all the flavors of the ingredients. From the herbs to the salt, you should be able to taste it all! Because this soup has a wide variety of tastes, to enjoy it to its full extent, not much should be substituted or taking out. However, if you prefer to forgo the salt or the pepper, you may. They are there to simply add taste but are not main components of the soup’s flavor. Gruyere cheese is essential to getting that classic burnt look on the top of the soup. Although, Gruyere cheese can be expensive and may not be found in every grocery store. You can try cheeses like mozzarella or pepper jack that work similarly in the oven. Gruyere also gives the soup a milder taste than that of most cheeses like cheddar or pepper jack. So, if you decide to substitute, your best option would be with the mozzarella. Enjoy!
