French Food Friday - Soupe à l'oignon

Bonjour from a chilly SW France,

We have a lot of onions and as it has turned cold, I am turning to one of my go to recipes by the faulous and very French Raymond Blanc.

For the soup
50g    Unsalted butter
4     Medium Roscoff or Spanish onions, cut in half and then sliced into 3mm slices
1 tbsp   Plain flour
200ml   Dry white wine, boiled for 30 seconds to remove the alcohol
1.5l     Boiling water
2 pinches   Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1tsp     Sugar (optional)

To serve
12 slices  Baguette, cut 1cm thick
150g   Comté cheese, grated


Cooking Method

Softening the onions

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/ Gas Mark 6. On a high heat, in a large non-stick saucepan, melt the butter without letting it brown. Add the onions and soften for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with 10 pinches of salt and 2 pinches of pepper.

Caramelizing the onions

Continue cooking the onions for 20–30 minutes to achieve an even, rich brown caramel colour. Stir every 2–3 minutes to prevent burning.

Toasting the flour

Sprinkle the flour on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 8–10 minutes, until it is very lightly coloured. Stir the flour into the caramelized onions and mix thoroughly.

Finishing the soup

Gradually stir in the white wine and one third of the boiling water. Whisk well and add the remaining water. Bring to the boil, skim off any impurities from the surface and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding the sugar if required.

Making the croûtons and serving the soup

Arrange the baguette slices on a baking tray and sprinkle two thirds of the grated Comté over them. Place under a hot grill for 3–4 minutes to melt and slightly brown the cheese. Serve the soup in bowls, with the croûtons on top. Serve the remaining Comté separately. 

bon vendredi à tous, Leeann