French Onion Soup

We don’t often get Texas gully washers this time of year, but this week has been an exception….

Although I much prefer the heat and sunshine, we definitely take advantage of this dreary weather to play in the rain and roll in the mud.

Especially Gus, my *normally white* English Cream Golden Retriever. And by normally, I mean hardly ever.

And of course, we like to make good comfort food.  On the menu tonight is one of our favorites; French Onion Soup.   I’m a firm believer in ‘the perfect bite’ and there’s something about the beef broth, mushy but crispy bread and broiled cheese that creates that ever so perfect bite.

I should add quickly that most French Onion Soup is made with red wine.  The alcohol (while completely cooked out) does give it a certain bite that is simply not replicated with grape juice.  However, I prefer whiskey instead…for 2 reasons…. One: unlike red wine, I always have it on a hand.  (Whiskey girl problems). And two,  it’s a hint less sweet, and I really like that.

So here it is…

Ingredients:

• 3 Red Onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1 Tbs. Sugar
• 1 Tbs. Flour
• 5 cups Water
• 5 tsp. Beef Paste
• Dash of Worcetershire
• 4 Thick Slices of Crusty Bread
• 4 cups Shredded Monterrey Jack

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2.  In a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt your butter over medium heat.

3.  Add onions and sugar and cook until they are golden brown and just starting to stick to the bottom of the pan.

4.  Keep scraping up those crispy bits of goodness as you add 1 Tbs. of flour.  It will be thick and pasty.

5.  Add your 5 cups of water, 1/4 cup of whiskey, 5 tsp. of beef paste and dash of Worcestershire sauce.

6.  Heat to boiling, stirring often to prevent sticking.

7.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.

8.  While your broth simmers, lay your bread on a cookie sheet and pop it in the preheated oven.  Flip each slice over after about 5 minutes.  They shouldn’t brown, just get crispy.  Remove from the oven, and then turn your oven up to Broil.

9.  Ladle your broth and onions evenly into 4 oven safe bowls.  Mine are fiestaware and work beautifully!

Note: I usually only need 2 bowls at a time.  So I ladle 2 bowls full, and refeigerate the rest in a sealed container.  Reheat it in the next day or two and proceed from this step forward.  It’s actually one of those things that ages very well and almost tastes better the 2nd day.

10.  Place all of your full bowls of broth on a sturdy cookie sheet.  This just makes it easier to handle and less likely to slosh and spill in your oven.

11.  Top each bowl with a piece of your crusty bread and then 3/4-1 cup of cheese, until the bread is totally covered.  I mean, totally covered.

12.  Carefully put the whole cookie sheet with all of your bowls in the oven (which is now on broil!) for 2-4 minutes or until the cheese on top is thick and bubbly and starting to brown.

13.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.