Flavorful French Onion Soup

A few months ago I posted about how to make a French dip from real French onion soup, not a canned version or a powdery chemically enhanced mix.

I originally used the pioneer woman's recipe ( love her ) but we decided that there were a few changes and revamps that would better suite our taste buds.  

With a snowy wintery day and two napping kids, I spent the whole day "slaving" away in the kitchen...but it was well worth it ;)

You need...

2 very large Vidalia onions

1 clove of garlic minced

6 cups beef broth

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon worchestershire

Lots of pepper and a pinch of salt

3 tablespoons butter

I am sure everyone knows how to chop an onion, but there is a simple method to getting those long stringy strands just like a restaurant.

Start by cutting the the long end of the onion off and peeling back the skin and first layer.  Then cut in half, keeping the root attached and intact.

Follow the natural grain lines of the onion and slice from the base of the root down in small slivers. 

When the onion is sliced, cut the root off  and there you have it, nice long strands of onion, perfect for French onion soup. 

Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pot and throw in your onion strands, season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook covered on medium heat for 30 minutes. The onions should be soft and translucent at this point.

In a 400 degree oven, slide your pot in and cook another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook one last time in the oven, for 5 minutes uncovered to let the onions brown up jus a bit.

Return to the stove top and pour in your stocks, minced garlic and Worcestershire and let simmer on medium-low heat for 45 minutes to a an hour.

While the soup is simmering you could either bake a nice rustic baguette or cut up a store bought loaf and toast until crispy and almost burnt. The soup softens it so much that the crispier it is the more depth of flavor it absorbs from the soup. You also need a few slices of gruyere cheese. Although a little more pricey than lets say, cheddar, its one of the best cheeses in my opinion.

I also prepared a deliciously light and airy coconut creme angelfood cake for dessert, recipe soon to come.

When the soup is finished, pour some in an oven safe bowl with a slice of bread and finish off with your cheese.

place in the oven on "broil" for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is browned slightly and bubbling to perfection.

Perfect for a cold wintery night. Enjoy :)