French Onion Soup (house Recipe) Recipe

Prepare onions

Peel and halve the onions from root to tip, then slice thinly (about 1/8"/3 mm). Aim for even slices so they caramelize uniformly.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil and let the butter melt and bubble but not brown.

Add all the sliced onions to the pot, toss to coat with butter and oil, then sprinkle the 1 tsp coarse salt and 1/2 tsp sugar over them. Cook, stirring every 3–5 minutes, until the onions are deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 35–45 minutes. Reduce heat if onions begin to stick or brown too quickly.

When the onions are richly caramelized, sprinkle the tablespoon of flour over them and stir for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste; this will help slightly thicken the soup.

If using, pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the 6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock, the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Increase heat to bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer for 15–20 minutes to marry flavors.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving.

Preheat the broiler on high and position a rack 6" (15 cm) from the broiler element. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Cut the baguette on a diagonal into 1/2" (12 mm) slices to yield crustini sized to float on soup bowls. Arrange slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Brush or lightly brush each slice with melted butter. For extra garlic flavor, gently rub the top of each toasted slice with the cut side of the halved garlic clove after broiling.

Place the tray under the broiler and toast the slices until lightly golden, 1–2 minutes—watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from oven.

Turn the oven to broil (or keep broiler on) and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of shredded Monterey Jack on each toast (adjust so total uses about 2 cups), then sprinkle a little grated Parmesan over each. Return to broiler and broil until cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly browned at edges, 1–2 minutes more. Remove and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Keep warm.

Optional: Rub each toast with the halved garlic clove now if you did not earlier for a more subtle garlic flavor.

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C) if you prefer to melt the cheese-topped crustini on bowls instead of broiling on a sheet.

Ladle hot soup into ovenproof bowls, leaving about 1/2" (12 mm) headspace. Float one or two cheese-topped crustini on the surface of each bowl. If desired, sprinkle a little extra shredded Monterey Jack or Parmesan on top of the crustini.

If using the oven method, place bowls on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F (205°C) until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes. Alternatively, place bowls briefly under the broiler 1–2 minutes to brown—watch closely to prevent spattering.

Carefully remove bowls from oven. Garnish with a small sprinkle of chopped parsley and serve immediately with a spoon and napkin (soup will be very hot).