French Onion Soup

French onion soup is a classic French-Canadian comfort food for the winter months. We’re having our first substantial snowfall this weekend so I thought this would be a perfect recipe to share. Like chicken soup, it’s good for the soul. It’s really isn’t difficult to make, but for me it usually means a lot of tears and a serious runny nose. I recommend using any and all the tricks in the book you can think of to counter onion fumes. The rewards are delicious! My recipe isn’t 100% authentic, I used what I had available in my fridge, but it tasted great! So, here’s the recipe!

French Onion Soup  

• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 6 cups sliced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken stock (or beef or pork)
• 1 cup of dark beer (or wine)
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch ground clove
• pinch ground mace
• pinch ground thyme
• few slices of toasted bread
• grated Gruyère cheese, or any good melting cheese

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high. Add the onions and cook them, stirring frequently until they soften and start to brown slightly. Gradually reduce the heat as the onions turn a darker brown. The onions will release sugars that will stick to the bottom of the pan – scrape the bottom every so often to keep it from burning.

Once the onions have turned a rich dark brown color, which will take about 30 minutes, add the garlic and let it cook for another minute. Add all the other ingredients and bring the soup up to a simmer. Let it cook at a simmer for 20 minutes. Pour one portion of the soup into a bowl, top with a slice of toasted bread and a sprinkling of grated cheese. Either in your toaster oven, or regular oven, broil the bowl of soup until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 3-4 minutes.

When it comes to the rest of your soup, I suggest reheating your portion in a pan on the stove and then finishing it off by broiling the same way.

This recipe yields 3-4 portions. It’s very economical and is extra comforting when made with your own home-made stock. In total this cost me about 5$.

This recipe is super easy to modify and many of the ingredients are optional, like the spices and alcohol. The only thing that’s really set in stone is the onion! Feel free to give it your own touch. I hope you enjoy your tasty soup! 🙂