History: Onion soups have been popular since the Roman Empire, as they were a cheep ingredient that was easily cultivated. The ancestor to this soup with caramelized onions and beef broth, that is widely known today came from France in the 1600s. French onion soup became popular in the US in the 1960s when an interest in French cuisine erupted across the country.
Ingredients:
2 Large Sweet Onions (or 3 small sweet onions)
6 cups of beef broth
3 shots of Cognac
1 generous glass of French red wine
5 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
6 tbs of salted butter
1 Baguette
Guerue Cheese Shredded
Olive oil
Pepper to taste
Directions:
This is an easy and simple soup recipe for all the onion and cheese lovers out there. In a pan cook your julienned onions down (julienned means a long thin strip) with a glug of olive oil and the butter. (Fun fact: the butter helps the onions from burning!). Cook the onions until they just start to turn translucent.
Add the cognac, give it a stir, and set it on fire! (WARNING! do NOT stand too close to the pan when you light it on fire.) If you have a little cognac left over, go for it, take that shot. Wait until the flames die down (this means the alcohol is burned off). Add your wine (always French wine!) and beef broth and then cook the onions down. The reason why I do not cook off the alcohol in the wine is because I love the flavor. When the soup begins to reduce, the strong wine flavor will perfectly blend with the beef broth giving you a sweet and savory soup. Add salt and pepper to taste!
Serve with toasted bread slices and top with Gruyere cheese!
Official Statement: Today you have a French onion soup flavored with cognac and red wine served with crispy bread and melted Gruyere cheese.
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