When I wrote last month’s post there was a chill in the air. So I wrote Chili for when it’s Chilly. When I sat down to write this post, the temperature had plunged several degrees below freezing and we’d just had our first snowfall of the season. It’s the kind of weather that cries out for comfort food. And what’s more comforting than toasted bread and cheese in a hearty broth that burns your mouth if you aren’t careful? Et voilà, this Slow Cooker French Onion Soup sprang to mind.
Beyond the snowy, windy weather, my recipe choice this month was influenced also by a friend’s imminent trip to Paris (Bon voyage, mon amie!) and by another friend having shared his newly created website for his business, Gouda French Tutoring. So merci to them both for inspiring me to share this Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée. And do visit his site if you, too, are travelling to Paris and wish to parlez comme les Parisiens.
The fiddliest step when making French Onion Soup is caramelizing the onions. Cooking low and slow is imperative so they don’t burn. And the onions need time to develop the depth of flavour and rich colour that characterizes this classic. This is where using the slow cooker is brilliant. You just add the butter, olive oil, onions, thyme, bay leaves and sugar to the slow cooker, cover and cook overnight over low heat for ten hours. The next day add the beef broth and the wine and cook a further six hours. Of course don’t forget the pièce de résistance, topping the soup with sourdough bread and Gruyère and broiling it to brown and bubbling perfection.
Click here for the recipe and then read on for some preparation tips and a little about why the humble onion might just be your best friend during cold and flu season. And I hope you’ll sign up to my newsletter here to receive each month’s recipe straight to your inbox!