When I was 19 years old, I joined the crew of a cruise line as a purser. Up until that point, the fanciest sit-down meal I had ever experienced was my prom dinner at a banquet hall in Oklahoma. On the cruise ship, I was just like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, not knowing which fork to use, let alone the proper way to hold it! So, at my first dinner I went for soup, the simplest and most straightforward dish I could think of. Though I’d never had French onion soup before, it was truly love at first bite.
Onion Soup
1⁄2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
4 large (3 pounds) white onions, halved and thinly sliced
11⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups canned beef (or vegetable) broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cheese Toast
6 slices (1″ thick) French bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 slices Swiss cheese
1⁄4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the onions. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the onions are soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Simmer the soup. Meanwhile, bring the beef broth to a boil in another pot. Mix the flour into the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add 1 cup of beef broth, stirring well to work out any lumps. Add the remaining beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook for 40 minutes.
Make the cheese toasts and serve. Heat the broiler to high. Brush both sides of the bread slices with melted butter and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side (watch the bread closely, as broiler intensity varies). Top each slice with a piece of Swiss cheese and broil until the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 11⁄2 minutes. Divide the soup among 6 bowls. Add a piece of cheesy bread to each bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve.
Cook Smart
Turn the last bowl of french onion soup into french dip sandwiches. Warm a few slices of roast beef in a saucepan with some soup. Use tongs to place the beef and onions from the soup between a split french roll. Serve with the broth on the side for dunking.
