French Onion Soup

Rich tasty French Onion Soup, you’d never guess it wasn’t made in the traditional manner.
It is the easiest thing you’ll ever make in your slow cooker – and the result is simply stunning! It’s incredible how the onions caremelise all by themselves!

Submitted by Bev Horton

French Onion Soup

Rich tasty French Onion Soup, you’d never guess it wasn’t made in the traditional manner. It is the easiest thing you’ll ever make in your slow cooker - and the result is simply stunning! It’s incredible how the onions caremelise all by themselves!
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Serving: 6
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1.5 Kgs Onions peeled
  • 2 Tblspoons Butter (or try Coconut oil if you don’t want butter)
  • 2 Tblspoons Olive Oil
  • 2 Tspoons salt (or to taste)
  • Freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 2.5 Ltrs Beef Stock (or use vegetable stock if vegetarian)
  • 2 Tblspoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • 3 Tblspoons Brandy (optional)
  • Splash of Fish Sauce (optional for vegetarians)
  • Handful dried garlic (optional)

To serve

  • French Loaf slices about 1.5 cm, lightly toasted
  • Grated Gruyer Cheese

Instructions
 

  • Chop onions into quarters and slice (easy in a food processor)
  • Melt the butter & oil into the bottom of the slow cooker
  • Pile all the onions in with plenty of freshly ground pepper
  • Cook on high for about an hour stirring now and then to get the onions all covered by the butter & oil
  • Reduce the temp to low and cook for 12+ hours - I have difficulty resisting the temptation to keek peeking, smelling and stirring, and it doesn’t seem to matter!
  • The onions should be a rich golden-brown at this point
  • Add the stock, vinegar, fish sauce & garlic
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours minimum, the longer you cook it the deeper the flavour
  • Add the brandy if using, half an hour or so before serving - add salt now according to taste
  • Optional - I like to give the soup a few quick blitzes with my Bamix (wand-style liquidiser), but don’t overdo it, you want the onion slices!
  • — To Serve
  • Option 1:
  • Ladel soup into bowls
  • Top the French toasts with grated gruyere cheese; float them on top of the soup and bake or grill (broil if you’re American!) till the cheese bubbles
  • Option 2 (if you don’t trust your soup bowls to cope with option 1)
  • Top the toasts with gruyere and grill (or broil) till cheese bubbles
  • Ladel the soup into bowls and float the cheesy toasts on top
  • Enjoy - and wait for the compliments!

Notes

  • Cooking time is longer than the max 12 hr option, 20 hrs plus
  • Preparing the onions is the most time consuming part of this recipe. I cook the onions overnight and then add the stock in the morning to plan to serve that evening.
  • The gorgeous fragrance of onions cooking will drift appetisingly around for the duration - blissful,
  • Use whatever stock you like - I’ve used home-made stock, tinned consommé (great trick to keep in your storecupboard), and gel or cubed commercial stock - they all work - you could use chicken stock for a lighter soup
  • This freezes really well - I freeze the leftovers in portions to take out at random.

6 thoughts on “French Onion Soup”

  1. just to clarify the times, you cook the onion on low for 12hrs, then add the stock and cookfor another 6-8 hrs, is that right? thanks

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