As with millions of others on the east coast, my husband and I were snowed in for 5 days. What goes better with snow than soup and homemade bread? I have posted several of my favorites over the years, but I decided to go back to my 1965 edition of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child to resurrect my favorite French Onion Soup. With several simple changes, it became a great lunch served with my husband's simple but delicious Honey Wheat bread. The recipes for both follow.
Ingredients:
5 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar(this makes the onions brown nicely)
3 tablespoons of flour
2 quarts boiling beef stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Cook the onions in the butter and oil in your large saucepan for 15 minutes until onions are soft.
Stir in the salt and sugar and cook for about 30 minutes more or until onions are a golden brown in color
Sprinkle in flour and stir over heat for 3 minutes
While onions are cooking, bring your beef stock to a boil in another saucepan
Add the boiling liquid to the onions ,add the wine, and simmer for about another hour.
Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese. Enjoy.
I have left out the cognac,bread slices and beef drippings to coincide with more modern nutritional guidelines.
