Classics
French onion soup
French onion soup is built on patience: cook the onions until they turn sweet and brown, simmer them in stock, then bake under a crust of cheese and toasted baguette.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
A cheap soup that tastes expensive. The whole magic is in how long you cook the onions — do not rush, 40 minutes is the minimum. The reward is a deep, almost caramel flavour.
Method
- 01
Cook the onions in the butter and oil over low heat for 40–45 minutes, stirring now and then. They must turn golden-brown and sweet — that is the base of the flavour.
- 02
Dust with flour, stir and cook a minute. Pour in the wine and let it almost cook away.
- 03
Add the hot stock, season, and simmer another 20 minutes over low heat.
- 04
Ladle into ovenproof bowls. Top each with a slice of toasted baguette, cover with Gruyère and grill in the oven until the cheese browns and bubbles.
A pinch of sugar at the start helps the onions caramelise faster.
Rather taste than cook?
We cook galettes and crêpes and pour cider every day at Fresh Market.