Tested · 1962
Grandmother's
French Onion Soup
from the kitchen of
Eleanor M. Whitfield
Serves 6
Prep 20 min
Cook 1h 40m
Difficulty •••
You will need
- 6 large yellow onions
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 6 cups beef stock
- 1 baguette, day-old
- 8 oz Comté, grated
- cracked pepper, to taste
savory
winter
heirloom
Method
- Slice the onions thin, north-to-south. Don't hurry — uniform slices brown evenly.
- Melt butter with the olive oil in a heavy enameled pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, stir to coat.
- Cook, stirring every few minutes, for at least 50 minutes. The onions should be the colour of mahogany. Don't rush them; this is where the soup is made.
- Salt midway. If the pot dries, add a splash of water and scrape up the fond.
- Add thyme, bay, and sherry. Reduce until almost dry, then pour in the warm beef stock. Simmer 30 minutes.
- Toast the baguette slices. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, float toasts on top, blanket with Comté.
- Broil until the cheese bubbles and just begins to scorch at the edges. Serve scaldingly hot.
Pinned Cards
Margaret's Note
If the onions catch a little too much colour, that's fine — deglaze with a half-jigger of brandy and call it character.
★★★★★
Pairs Beautifully With
A simple frise salad with warm lardons and a poached egg. A Beaujolais, slightly chilled.
From the Garden
Thyme is best snipped just before the onions go translucent — the oils survive the long cook better that way.
★★★★☆