French Shallot Soup

I find French Onion Soup on a restaurant menu to be irresistable…….the potential for greatness is there for any decent place, and so my hopes rise as I order and anticipate the best.  Sometimes I’m flooded with a sense of warmth and place as the soup arrives and I can tell by the scents and the look that it is just right –  just what I was looking for. Rich, deep fragrant beef broth, croutons of crusty, chewy baguette and aged, flavorful Emmenthaler cheese.  When all of that is there, I know I’ll dig in to loads of braised and browned onions which together with everything else makes for an almost magical combination of comforting flavors.

Sadly, I rarely get to have that rush when eating out – and so the experience of eating this soup in all of it’s glory is reserved for a lazy, drizzly day at home, when this deceptively simple to make soup is just the right thing to make as I kick back, close the laptop and read a good book or watch an old movie.

Shallots are a great choice to use for this soup because of  their sweet flavor that pairs so wonderfully with all of the other ingredients. They are also less ‘tearful’ than stronger yellow and Spanish onions – although this recipe is great with any member of the family. The most critical part is in how to braise the onions of choice.

First peel and trim the shallots. Just cut off the very top and leave the root end intact. Make a slight slice down the side, just enough to get through the skin and first layer of the shallot (or onion). Peel away the skin and any discolored or tough layers.

Since shallots often come as ‘doubles’, separate the halves (still keeping the root portion intact) and trim away any tough interior skin.  Slice the shallots in 1/4 inch slices, down to the root end. One of the beauties of using shallots is that these slices don’t need to be cut any further – unlike yellow onion slices that should be halved – hot rounds of onions dropping on your chin as you eat the soup can be painful!

How to Braise Shallots (onions):

Toss the sliced shallots (onions) in a light coating of olive oil, a few grinds of black pepper and a good sprinkle of kosher salt. Put in a non-stick roasting pan or oven proof skillet and set in a 350 degree oven. Now all you have to do is leave the onions for about 45 minutes. Don’t touch, don’t move, don’t shake – just leave them. This is what gives them caramalization – which gives them the depth of flavor that is needed for a great onion soup. It’s also what makes it a soup to make for quiet days – there’s not much to do! After the first 45 minutes, check the shallots, tossing to assess the browning. If there is just slight browning, return to the oven, checking every 10 minutes, until there is a lot of deep brown color, but not dried out or burnt. Onions will take longer than shallots – sometimes up to 1 1/2 hours. Once browned, time to make the soup!

 

Ingredients (serves four, two as a main course):

• 12 shallots, trimmed, sliced and braised with olive oil, salt and pepper
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices toasted baguette
• 1/4 pound Emmenthaler cheese
• Fresh chives for garnish (optional)

Bring the beef stock, water, brandy, thyme and bay leaf to a simmer. Add the braised shallots, and simmer for 45 minutes then taste for salt and pepper. If using fresh thyme, remove the stems. Preheat your broiler to high.

As the broiler is heating up, time to prepare the cheese and bread – the two other components to this triumverate of a soup. Use the best Emmenthaler you can afford – this is a cave-aged Swiss Emmenthaler from a wonderful local cheese purveyor,  Joppa Fine Foods.  Because their artisinal cheeses vary by season I have used many different Emmenthalers for this soup, but always it is flavorful!  My favorite way to use the cheese is to shred some to put directly on the soup, as well as full slices to place directly on the croutons.

Put some nice thick slices of baguette under the broiler as it is heating up, just to toast lightly on both sides. Ladle soup into some bowls or crocks, add the toasted baguette slices and cover with the shredded/sliced Emmenthaler. Place under the broiler until bubbly and lightly browned – just a few minutes.

And with very little effort, there it is……a perfect French Onion Soup…..rich, deep fragrant beef broth, croutons of crusty, chewy baguette and aged, flavorful Emmenthaler cheese. Enjoy!