French Onion Soup

[StripyPixieSocks]

I made 6 litres of French Onion Soup yesterday for dividing up for the freezer. I've never had this soup before but oh boy it was lovely which is a good job really as there's loads on the freezer lol

It's a simple recipe:

10 Onions, sliced
6 Beef Oxo Cubes
1tbsp Garlic Powder
6ltrs Water
2tbsp Butter

Fry the Onions in the butter until slightly golden, add the remaining ingredients, stir, bring to the boil and then simmer for 1 hour.

When serving drop a piece of thin toasted bread on top of the hot soup along with a generous amount of grated cheese and either leave to melt or grill for a short time until melted and bubbly!

Looks like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stripypixi ... 548978150/

Tastes like heaven

Edit: Oh and because we buy sacks of Onions for very little money it probably costs about 25p per bowl of soup so cheap too!

[Mr and Mrs luvpie]

Ooooo Robs been making this non stop recently every day he has off we have FOS for lunch, he's at work tonight but no you have really made me fancy some.

edit:- Oh just looked at your picture, knew I shouldn't, I'm going to creep off and cry quietly to myself in my front room now

Sarahx

[lsm1066]

I love making French Onion soup. The only unfortunate thing about it is it's better in the summer, when you can keep the windows open to deal with the after-effects

Lynne

[jim]

Dear SPS,

Just a couple of variations on it:-

* dice a couple of large spuds into cm cubes and bung in at the same time as the stock for a much thicker, more substantial, broth, or a tablespoon of flour into the softened onion/oil goo to make a roux gets a slightly different texture.
* when you harvest onions in August there are often a lot that are too big to pickle, too small to be practical so bung them into the soup at the beginnning, whole (peeled of course) to make ragout d' ognion.
* although you used stock cubes I have found that the flavour is strong enough, with a couple of garlic cloves, not to need them.

And I agree, the melted cheese makes it a sensual delight, so much so, that we always have extra grated cheese served beside it to stir in ..... but then I'm a greedy sod!

I have heard that porters in Paris markets get a bowl of this, a baguette and a litre of vin rouge for breakfast! Where's the recruiting office?

Love and Peace
Jim

[StripyPixieSocks]

My OH's ex girlfriend was French so he ate quite alot of French food either stuff that she cooked or her family when he visited them in France.

Every time we saw a recipe for French Onion Soup he would extol it's virtues and threaten to make it... only taken us three years

Crikey though... red wine for breakfast... I'd be drunk after a glass and asleep in a hour lol

Having said that, now we have gotten rid of the birds we have dabbled with the thought of moving to France on and off... we just need a few thousand pounds and a nice farm in the middle of nowhere

After effects? What after effects?

[jim]

Dear SPS,

Onions, believe it or not, contain high levels of fermentable sugars. Intestinal bacteria feel like it's their birthday once these are encountered. The resulting fermentation produces intestinal gases which make their exit loudly and with a strong suggestion of their origin ..... Keep the windows open. (Romantic tip: don't serve it up the first time you want to impress a potential sexual partner.)

Love and Peace
Jim

[Mr and Mrs luvpie]

my version is a little different where I use bay leaves rather than garlic but Im sure yours is equally as lush

for two:

2 onions sliced
50g butter - (dont use marg its crap and you lose all of the richness )
1tbsp spoon flour
1 bay leaf
1pt beef stock

slice the onions and fry in butter for 10 mins,
add flour and stir over heat for 1 min,
take off heat and gradually add stock stiring in to dissolve flour goo
add bay leaf, bring back to boil, cover and simmer for 30 mins.

The cheesy bread topping is good or I cube up some bread, drizzle with olive oil and toast to make crutons which are great.

Enjoy

[2+bump]

My recipe is slightly different but its just as good, the worcestershire sauce gives it a nice tang

4 medium sized onions
2 tablespoons of margarine or butter. Alternatively 5 tablespoons of Olive Oil -
4½ cups of veg boullion
1 oxo cube
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, double if you like this sauce. - -
Teaspoon of dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon of grated garlic or 1 fresh garlic clove chopped up small - -
French Bread stick (normal bread will do fine)
Gruyere cheese
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
Salt to taste (not much needed)

[SarahJane]

Well that has solved what I am having for my tea tonight! I couldnt resisit it after seeing that pic! Thanks Stripy!