French Onion Soup has been popular at least as far back as Roman times. Throughout history, French onion soup was seen as food for poor people, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow. The modern version of this soup originates in Paris, France in the 18th century, made from beef broth, and caramelized onions.
French Onion Soup is an incomparably delicious and heartwarming dish of minced onions and beef stock, toasted bread, and grated and grilled Comté cheese, is a national treasure. Its gastronomic roots are in the broths of Ancient Rome, prepared for the first time over 8,000 years ago.
I have used these individual soup bowls with handles since a teenager. Kitchen gadget stores sell “handle holders” that make it easy to remove from broiler. The best benefit is you get to tip the soup bowl by holding onto the handle holder and get every last drop of this delicious French Onion Soup!
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter (organic, unsalted)
30 ozs. low sodium Organic beef broth
15 ozs. low sodium Organic chicken broth
1/2 cup dry sherry
Slices of whole grain bread (gluten free optional) – toast gently
Layer each slice of bread with a slice of provolone, 1/2 slice diced Swiss and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (or your choice of cheese)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375degrees. On stove, saute onions and garlic in butter until brown. Add broths; heat to boiling. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add sherry.
Ladle soup into oven safe serving bowls and place one slice of bread on top of each (bread may be broken into pieces if you prefer). Sprinkle the bread with cheeses and float on top of soup. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until soup is bubbly and cheese has browned. Makes 4 servings.
DON’T WASH FRESH ONIONS before storing them.
Hang onions in mesh bags or old stockings tied with knots between each one. Store in cool, dark place (a root cellar is best). Onions can last up to three months. To keep onions fresh and tasty, good ventilation is a must. If frozen, fresh onions can be kept for 10-12 months. To freeze, peel and chop onions into small pieces. Place in airtight containers, then freeze.
To alleviate stinging tears in eyes, chill an onion for 30 minutes prior to chopping it.
After dining on onions, nibble on a piece of orange rind or a parsley sprig. Both are natural fresheners.
