Introduction: Onion Soup
By canida
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About: I helped start Instructables, previously worked in biotech and academic research labs, and have a degree in biology from MIT. Currently head of Product helping young startups at Alchemist Accelerator, previous… More About canida »
An extra-oniony version of the old classic, perfect for cold days.
Step 1: Onions
I like lots of onions in my soup, particularly since Eric is known for stealing more than his fair share.
For this recipe I've used 6 large onions, halved and sliced. Modify the number to suit your preferences.
Add the onions to a large heavy pot greased with a couple of tablespoons olive oil, butter, canola oil, or some combination thereof. I find adding even a little bit of butter goes a long way in improving taste.
Add a couple of bay leaves and some black pepper, and stir over medium heat.
Add a handful of chopped garlic when the onions have begun to soften.
The goal is to slowly brown the onions to create a nice strong caramelized flavor for the soup. Stir more frequently as they cook to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Deglaze With Sherry
When the onions start turning brown and sticking to the pan it's time to deglaze. I prefer to use sherry, which makes it sweeter, but you can use whatever wine you prefer.
Add approximately 1/2c sherry and stir, scraping the bottom to remove all the tasty bits as the sherry cooks down.
Step 3: Add Stock and Seasonings
Add 8-10 cups stock (I used 9c) and bring back to a simmer. If you don't have stock use boullion cubes and water, but take care that it doesn't get too salty.
After at least 10 minutes of simmering, do some taste tests with your broth. Is it as salty, garlicky, peppery, or complex as you like it? If not, now's the time to modify. Add salt, a grated clove or two of garlic, more ground pepper, or maybe a boullion cube to make the flavor denser. Other options: Worchestershire sauce, anchovy paste, balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, chile sauce, or your flavoring agent of choice. Remember, this doesn't have to be a traditional French onion soup- just make sure it tastes good to you.
I chose to add a couple cloves of garlic, more black pepper, and roughly a teaspoon of anchovy paste for extra depth of flavor. Anchovy paste is my new favorite stealth additive.
Continue simmering until the flavors have mingled, then add a handful of chopped parsley for the last 3-5 minutes.
Step 4: Serve
Serve hot. While it's tasty unadorned, toppings can produce a richer soup.
French onion soup is traditionally served with a large crouton covered in Gruyere cheese toasted under the broiler, but since that doesn't fit into my dietary theory I've skipped it. While it's quite tasty, putting the entire bowl under the broiler is often a pain; you can toast the cheese onto the bread in a toaster oven then float it on your soup.
Sprinkling grated parmesan over the top works well too.
