Julia Child's Soupe A L'Oignon

I've only made this soup once, and it was a very long time ago. I've dreamt of this soup many, many times throughout the years, and compared every onion soup to this one. I knew where to find the recipe, even though I kept telling myself I couldn't remember where I found it. The only reason I was reluctant to make it again, was the time involved. The recipe itself says it takes "2-1/2 hours at LEAST from start to finish." I can wait no longer.....this week I'm making a promise to myself to serve up a steaming pot of Julia Child's Soupe a l'Oignon!!! Here goes.....

The onions for an onion soup need a long, slow cooking in butter and oil, then a long, slow simmering in stock for them to develop the deep, rich flavor which characterizes a perfect brew. You should therefore count on 2-1/2 hours at least from start to finish. Though the preliminary cooking in butter requires some watching, the actual simmering can proceed almost unattended.

1-1/2 pounds or about 5 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
A heavy-bottomed, 4-quart covered saucepan

Cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in the covered saucepan for 15 minutes.

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar (helps the onions to brown)

Uncover, raise heat to moderate, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep, golden brown.

3 tablespoons flour

Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes.

2 quarts boiling brown stock, canned beef bouillon, or 1 quart of boiling water and 1 quart of stock or bouillon
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste

Off heat, blend in the boiling liquid. Add the wine, and season to taste. Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes or more, skimming occasionally. Correct seasoning.

3 tablespoons cognac
Rounds of hard-toasted French Bread (see recipe following)
1 to 2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Just before serving, stir in the cognac. Pour into a soup tureen or soup cups over the rounds of bread, and pass the cheese separately.

GARNISHINGS FOR ONION SOUP:

12 to 16 slices of French bread cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick

Place the bread in one layer in a roasting pan and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about half and hour, until it is thoroughly dried out and lightly browned.

Olive oil or beef drippings
A cut clove of garlic

Halfway through the baking, each side may be basted with a teaspoon of olive oil or beef drippings; and after baking, each piece may be rubbed with cut garlic.

Croutes au Fromage - Cheese Croutes

Grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese
Olive oil or beef drippings

Spread one side of each croute with grated cheese and sprinkle with drops of olive oil or beef drippings. Brown under a hot broiler before serving.

VARIATIONS:

Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee
(Onion Soup Gratineed with Cheese)

The preceding onion soup
A fireproof tureen or casserole or individual onion soup pots
2 ounces Swiss cheese cut into very thin slivers
1 tablespoon raw onion
12 to 16 rounds of hard-toasted French bread
1-1/2 cups grated Swiss, or Swiss and Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter

Preheat over to 325 degrees.

Bring the soup to the boil and pour into the tureen or soup pots. Stir in the slivered cheese and grated onion. Float the rounds of toast on top of the soup, and spread the grated cheese over it. Sprinkle with the oil or butter. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, then set for a minute or two under a preheated boiler to brown the top lightly. Serve immediately.

Soupe Gratinee des Trois Gourmandes
(Onion Soup Gratineed de Luxe)

A final fillip to the preceding onion soup may be accomplished in the kitchen just before serving or by the server at the table.

A 2-quart bowl
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons cognac

Beat the cornstarch into the egg yolk, then the Worcestershire and the cognac.

The preceding onion soup
A soup ladle
A serving fork

Just before serving the soup, lift up an edge of the crust with a fork and remove a ladleful of soup. In a thin stream of droplets, beat the soup into the egg yolk mixture with a fork. Gradually beat in two more ladlefuls, which may be added more rapidly.

Again lifting up the crust, pour the mixture back into the soup. Then reach in under the crust with the ladle and stir gently to blend the mixture into the rest of the soup. Serve.