Ghostwritten Recipes

A curated collection of original and family recipes, digitized from fading recipe cards, organized for easy cooking and carrying on love through food.

French Onion Soup Au Gratin

French Onion Soup Au Gratin

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: French

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 4 large sweet onions
  • 4 large red onions
  • 96 oz. chicken stock
  • 28 oz. beef stock
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 loaf French bread
  • 1 lb. gruyère cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Peel onions, cut in half & slice into thin half rings.
  2. Aim for consistency more than trying to get them as thin as possible. The onions will shrink as they release moisture & caramelize. Consistency will allow onions to cook at same rate.
  3. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in a large pot.
  4. Start assembling/organizing ingredients while pan comes to temp.
  5. Measure wet ingredients and set aside, in easy reaching distance to pot.
  6. Take herbs and tie together with twine or place in sachet.
  7. If you don't have twine or sachet, ok to put whole sprigs in.
  8. Slice one, thick piece of bread for each bowl of soup you plan to serve. Take gruyère out of fridge and allow to come to temperature.
  9. Once butter has melted & pot has reached medium-high heat add in onion & sea salt [INSERT DIRECTIONS]
  10. Once the onions have caramelized, add in wet ingredients and herbs. Stir together and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  11. After 20 minutes, remove herbs from pot & reduce heat to low. Mix in balsamic vinegar & season with salt & pepper to taste. Cover pot & keep on low heat.
  12. Under broiler, toaster, or on a hot pan, toast sliced bread until golden brown. While bread is toasting, cut 2 pieces of gruyère per bowl into large, thin slices.
  13. Once the bread is done, ladle soup into oven-safe bowls until each is 2/3 full. Place toasted bread into owl so the bottom get coated in soup, but entire slice doesn't sink or get soggy. Top with 2 slices of gruyère and place bowls in oven.
  14. Broil until cheese is brown & oozing; about 5 minutes.
  15. Placing bowls on a sheet pan can help avoid spills/drips as well as make it easy to put multiple bowls in at the same time.