The famous Parisian onion soup is made in the Les Halles market district, and it can only be made by caramelizing onions for 45 minutes until they turn mahogany and then enriched with beef marrow and topped with Comté cheese.
Ingredients
- 1kg yellow onions (sliced thin)
- 50g butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1.5L beef stock
- 200ml white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 slices baguette
- 200g Comté cheese (grated)
- salt
- pepper
- cognac.
Instructions
Caramelization: In a heavy pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onions and stir to coat. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply brown and sweet.
The Roux: Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
Deglazing: Add wine, scraping up the brown bits. Reduce by half.
Simmering: Add hot stock and bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of cognac.
Gratinée: Ladle into oven-safe bowls. Float a toasted baguette slice on top. Generously mound cheese.
Broiling: Place under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns. Serve immediately, cautioning about hot bowls.
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