Kathys Fox And Hounds French Onion Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter with olive oil in an 8 quart stock pot on medium heat. Add onions and continually stir until tender and translucent. Do not brown the onions.
• Add beef broth, sherry and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven broiler.
• 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). Layer each slice of bread with a slice of provolone, 1/2 slice diced Swiss and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place bowls on cookie sheet and broil in the preheated oven until cheese bubbles and browns slightly.

Steps:

• Peel and thinly slice the onions. Breaking the onion rings apart, put them in a large Dutch oven with the butter. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for approximately 30 minutes, or until onions are translucent and tender. Mix the flour with 1/4 cup of the water and blend thoroughly, making sure there are no lumps, then add to the onions and stir gently. Add rest of ingredients and simmer on low heat for about 30 more minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls, over crusty French bread croutons and top with shredded Swiss (or Gruyere or blend of the two) cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.
• To make the croutons: Slice French baguette into cubes about 1/2" thick and put on a cookie sheet, spreading evenly into no more than one layer. Bake in a 300 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until crusty, but not brown. Put several in the bottom of each soup bowl before filling with soup.

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 mins until soft.
• Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 mins more, stirring frequently, until caramelised. The onions should be really golden, full of flavour and soft when pinched between your fingers. Take care towards the end to ensure that they don't burn.
• Add the garlic cloves for the final few minutes of the onions' cooking time, then sprinkle in the plain flour and stir well.
• Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the beef stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins.
• To serve, turn on the grill, and toast the bread. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls.
• Put a slice or two of toast on top of the bowls of soup, and pile on the gruyère. Grill until melted. Alternatively, you can cook the toasts under the grill, then add them to the soup to serve.