French Onion Soup

Kurt loves French Onion Soup. So do I, as a matter of fact. We've been known to hire a babysitter and drive all the way to the Mimi's Cafe in Gilroy for a good dish of the stuff. Here's an absolutely brilliant tutorial, not only for the soup, but for caramelizing the onions from Centsational Girl whose house I want to move into!



French Onion Soup for Eight:

1.5 lbs yellow onions, thinly sliced in strips
2.1 stick unsalted butter
3.2 tsp vegetable oil
4.1.5 cups dry sherry
5.Four 14 oz. cans low sodium chicken broth (or 8 cups)
6.6 oz. Gruyere cheese (or similar style of cheese)
7.Sliced sourdough rounds
Melt butter in pan and add oil. Cook onions over medium low heat for approximately 50 minutes until caramelized (see above). Add dry sherry and bring to a boil. Reduce for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer soup on low for another 45 to 50 minutes.

Entertainer’s tip: If preparing in advance, then cover and refrigerate earlier in the day. Later, you can bring the soup to simmer, then spoon soup into ramekins or soup bowls.


Cut your sourdough crouton by turning the soup bowl upside down and carving a perfect size round. Lightly toast to achieve browned edge.


Layer with a few slices of Gruyere or similar style cheese.

Place on a baking dish under low broiler for 3 to 4 minutes to allow cheese to melt. Serve hot to table.

On a crisp autumn evening, there is nothing like the bubbling goodness of melted Gruyere over a sourdough crouton in a soup bowl. And as any lover of French Onion soup knows, the best part is the moment your spoon hits the cheese and penetrates that sourdough crouton. It’s magical.

I like to serve mine with sliced pear and some additional cheese. Très élégant. Add some extra bread and it’s a little piece of heaven.

Here’s a final touch. Send your guests home with their own little jar of your own savory concoction, with a personalized label. You’ll kill ‘em if you include a recipe for them to recreate the soup later in the week.

Simple Caramelized Onions


Caramelized onions couldn’t be easier. To start, grab a bag of yellow onions from the local store. I cook up an entire 10 pound bag in two pots.

Slice them up in small strips.


Melt a stick of unsalted butter in your pot, and add two teaspoons of cooking oil. Add four to five pounds of sliced onions to your pot, and stir every few minutes for about 45 minutes. Once your onions start to brown, watch them so that they don’t burn. Then observe the magic happening. The natural sugars buried deep inside transform during the cooking process to become your best culinary friend.

Once they are a rich caramel color, I like to add about 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Then I reduce them in the liquid for about 10 more minutes. When they’re done, I spoon them into jars for future use, and I refrigerate. They will keep in a cold fridge for up to two weeks.