French Onion Soup With Baguette Crostini Recipes

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.
• Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH BAGUETTE CROSTINI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the butter and onions, and saute until the onions are translucent and the edges are browned, about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally during the cooking process. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Once the onions are cooked, add the wine to deglaze the pan. Stir and then add the parsley, thyme, bay leaves and garlic. Continue to cook until all the wine has reduced, about 15 to 20 minutes. Lower the heat, add the stock and simmer until the mixture has reduced to about 3 cups total volume.
• While the stock is reducing, drizzle the sliced bread with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the bread on a cookie sheet and bake until slightly browned. Once browned, remove them from the oven.
• Heat the broiler.
• Ladle onion soup into crocks or bowls, leaving enough room for the toasted baguette. Top each bowl with a slice of bread and sprinkle with cheese. Put the crocks on a sheet pan and broil until the cheese is melted and slightly browned, about1 minute. Remove from the broiler and serve.

FRENCH ONION CROSTINI

Steps:

• In large, heavy pot or skillet, warm 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-low heat.
• Add the onions and 1 sprig thyme and cook, stirring every 10 minutes or so (if they start sticking to the pan, add a splash of water), for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush on both sides with the remaining 2 T olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake until crisp, 10-15 minutes.
• Place about 1 T cheese on each toast; bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the leaves from the remaining thyme sprig and chop.
• Top each toast with the carmelized onions and chopped thyme.