FRENCH ONION SOUP
Long before New York Times Cooking existed online, what was then called the Food News Department circulated pamphlets full of recipes, several of which came into the possession of a Food editor and frequenter of vintage cookbook stores.
One pamphlet — simply called “Soups” from 1954 — contained this five-star classic, updated by including sherry and wine for even more flavor.
Makes: 4 to 6 servings Total time: 1 hour 20
minutes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 to 4 large red or yellow onions (about 3 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 quarts beef stock (8 cups) 1 cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon dry sherry 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
8to12( ½-inch) slices French bread (from 1 loaf) 1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
1. Melt butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium
heat. Add onions and ½ teaspoon salt, stir and cover, letting onions soften for 5 minutes. Remove lid and let onions caramelize until golden brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat if onions are browning too quickly. The caramelization process may take 45 to 60 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, warm broth in a saucepan over low heat.
3. Once onions are caramelized, add wine and sherry to the pot and allow mixture to come to boil. Stir in flour and let thicken for a minute or two.
4. Slowly add warm broth,
¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper to the onion mixture and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
5. Heat the broiler and arrange individual ovenproof casseroles on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into casseroles and cover top with bread slices. Sprinkle each casserole generously with Gruyère. Broil for a minute or two, watching carefully, until cheese melts and browns. Serve immediately.