Anne Burrell French Onion Soup
Caramelized onions, beef stock, wine and brandy make this soup the ultimate comfort food. I especially like making it on cold winter nights when it’s time for something warm to warm my soul!
This recipe comes from Anne Burrell’s cookbook “Culinary Adventures with French Onions.” With its sweet yet tangy flavors, your whole family will surely love this treat!
Start by prepping your ingredients. Trim and peel the onion before cutting thin slices from root to stem.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot and add the sliced onions, stirring to coat them in butter. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring periodically, for approximately 20 minutes or until onions have softened and achieved an intense brown hue.
While your onions caramelize, start on your croutons: brush slices of French bread or baguette with olive oil before placing in a 450degF oven until lightly browned – approximately five to seven minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese and Parmesan and return when near serving time under the broiler for bubbly cheese bubblyness and slightly browning.
Once ready to serve the soup, divide it among individual bowls or one large casserole dish and garnish each one with pieces of toasted French bread and the cheese-flavored mixture.
If making this dish as one large casserole, transfer individual bowls onto a baking sheet before placing the entire tray in your preheated oven. Once your soup is finished, toasting it may require adding it under the broiler for 10 minutes until its cheese becomes bubbly and lightly golden in color.
What I love most about this recipe is how easy and quick it is to prepare, while making enough food to feed a crowd if there are unexpected visitors! Plus, this dish makes enough to feed an army!
Caramelizing onions is key for creating this flavorful recipe and will take approximately 45 to 60 minutes, giving the soup its deep, rich flavors.
Once the onions have caramelized completely, you can add all other ingredients. After your soup has finished cooking, season it to taste by seasoning it with salt and pepper; if additional salt is required simply add water until your desired level is met.
At its heart lies an irresistibly classic French soup that will keep you coming back for more!
Ideal served warm, this recipe can also be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and frozen if you find yourself craving some later! Just pull it out and pop it back in!
As I don’t have an elegant bowl for holding soup, instead of running it under the broiler with bread and cheese on top for toasting purposes, I just put some pieces at the bottom of each bowl before grating cheese on top – this way, when heated soup reaches you it melts the cheese away, creating a delectable dish!