VIVE LA FRANCE ...

 French Onion Soup - a Classic !

After trying so many different recipes for French Onion Soup and not being really sure if I liked it or not,  I finally came up with my own. So far whoever ate it - loved it!

Serves 4

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

2 lbs yellow onion cut into slices (makes approx. 6 cups)

2 tsp sugar if you use Cognac

1 tsp sugar if you use Sherry or Port

1 tbl (heaped) flour

1 Sachel (I use a porcelain tea egg hanging from the side of the pot) with 6 thyme sprigs, 12 peppercorn and 2 bay leaves) for the beef broth

3 1/2-4 cups of boiling beef stock (1 1/2 "More than Gourmet" Demi Glace Gold from FreshDirect)

2 cups of water

1/4 cup cognac (4 tbl)

1/2 tsp salt (or to your liking)

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

12 stale french bread slices or enough to cover the soup

1 lb Gruyer (or mixed with Emmenthaler), half coarsely grated and half thinly sliced

• Melt butter over moderate heat in a large saucepan. Add onions and sugar, cover and cook for approx. 20 Min. stirring occasionally until wilted and of a light golden color.
• Uncover and continue cooking for another 25 Min. until brown and well caramelized. Don't forget to stir often, so the onions do not burn!
• Add flour to pan an stir well to incorporate the flour into the onions. Then slowly stir in the boiling (!) beef broth, water, 2 tbl Cognac (or Sherry/Port), salt and pepper. Boil for a few minutes and then turn down and let the soup simmer for about 45 minutes partially covered. (While the soup is simmering toast the bread slices - Toaster is the easiest). After 45 Minutes uncover Soup and cook for another 10 Minutes. Adjust seasoning and add the last tbl Cognac. 
• Divide the soup into 4 ovenproof soup bowls, arrange the  bread slices, sprinkle the cheese generously over the bread and drape the wide thin slices of cheese over the side of the bowls. It prevents the cheese from slipping off the rim of the bowl. Put under a preheated broiler until the cheese melts and has a golden brown color.

Accompany with a nice Organic Baby Romaine Salad with Olive oil and a splash of Balsamic Vinegar - the older the better) and a glass of French Red Wine.

Bon Appetit! À Votre Santé!