Onion Soup Burgundy-Style
Submitted by CC
French onion soup Burgundy-style with 3 pounds of onions caramelized, simmered with white wine, and topped with Gruyere-crusted toast baked until bubbly and golden.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minThree pounds of onions. That’s the foundation of this French onion soup, and you’ll need every bit. Sliced wafer-thin and cooked until deeply browned, all those onions cook down into a fraction of their raw volume, concentrating into sweet, caramelized strands that give the broth its signature depth.
The technique here is more refined than most onion soup recipes. The onions start on the stovetop in butter with garlic, then finish browning in a hot oven for 15 minutes. That oven step provides even, dry heat that caramelizes the onions more deeply than the stovetop alone. A sprinkle of flour after browning thickens the broth slightly and gives it body.
Dry white wine (in Burgundy style, despite the name) gets stirred in with water, deglazing all those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Those fond particles are concentrated flavor. A bay leaf and fresh thyme simmer with the broth for 30 minutes, building an aromatic backbone.
The gratinée finish is the whole point: thin toasts floated on top, blanketed with Gruyère and Parmesan, then blasted in a 450°F (232°C) oven until the cheese is brown, bubbly, and stretching from bowl to spoon.
Chef Tips
- Slice the onions as thin as possible. Thick slices don’t caramelize as well and give the soup a stringy texture
- Don’t rush the browning. Properly caramelized onions take a solid 10 minutes on the stovetop plus the oven time
- Toast the bread slices until completely dry and crisp. Soft bread dissolves into the soup instead of floating
- Use ovenproof crocks or tureens. Regular bowls can crack under the high broiler heat
Variations
- Use a dry red Burgundy wine instead of white for a deeper, more robust broth
- Add a splash of brandy or cognac with the wine for extra richness
- Swap Swiss cheese for Gruyère if that’s what you have on hand
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Peel the onions and cut them in half.
Slice each half wafer thin there should be about 12 cups.
In a large, heavy, ovenproof casserole or deep skillet, heat the butter and add the onions and garlic.
Cook, stirring, until the onions are wilted and start to brown, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put the casserole in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the onion mixture with flour, stirring to coat the onion.
Add the water and wine and cook over high heat, scraping around the bottom and sides to dissolve the browned particles.
Add the bay leaf and thyme and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, put the bread slices on a baking sheet and bake until brown and crisp.
Increase the oven temperature to 450F degrees.
Fill 6 individual ovenproof soup tureens, or one large tureen, with the soup.
If individual tureens are used, place 2 slices of toast atop the soup.
if a large tureen is used, cover with the toast, overlapping.
Sprinkle the toast with the Gruyere, then the Parmesan.
Place the Tureens on a baking dish to catch any drippings.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the soup is piping hot, bubbling and brown on top.
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