As soon as we arrived in Baltimore, took a cab to Washington, DC, and checked in to our hotel, it was nearly 4pm and we were more than ready to relax and enjoy a bit of lunch before checking in to the convention and setting up our booth space. Being too late for lunch and too early for dinner, our choices were limited. However some of the best adventures come from getting lost and some of the best meals come from the most unexpected places.
Wonder where I could find those bowls?
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 6 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- Olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups of beef stock
- 1/2 cup of dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme
- Salt and pepper
- 8 slices of toasted French bread
- 1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization.
*According to my friend Terrence, "It also helps to salt the onions early while they are in the saute pan- this will help draw out the moisture leading to faster/better caramelizing."
Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.
To serve use individual oven-proof soup bowls and ladle the soup into the bowls. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6.
