A long, long time ago in a faraway place, Eric made me French onion soup for the first time. We were in high school and Eric had a job pumping gas on the PA turnpike. Every so often, truckers would sell items off the back of their trucks. (Eric bought me our first set of glass cookware off the back of one of those trucks. I still have most of the pieces of that set which have survived 8+ moves and 25+ years!) When Eric landed a 10 pound bag of Vidalia onions, he made me French onion soup.  Even waaayyy back then, Eric was a great cook!  Is it any wonder that I married him?!

We’ve had French onion soup since that first time, both at home and in restaurants.  While I enjoy it, I usually find it overly salty. We recently tried an onion soup recipe from a cookbook my sister, Diane gave Eric.  I have to say, this was a great recipe!  It was THE best onion soup I have ever eaten. It is definitely one that we will be doing over and over again!

Alsatian Onion Soup (from The Berghoff Café Cookbook by Carlyn Berghoff & Nancy Ross Ryan)   Makes 4 bowls or 8 cups of soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 cups (about 1½ pounds) yellow onion, halved vertically, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 2 quarts beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups peeled, julienned Granny Smith apples
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8½ inch-thick slices of baguette, toasted
• 8 slices Muenster cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in an 8- to 10-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden brown (but not burned), 15 to 25 minutes.

Add the broth, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes and bring it to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

Julienne the apples while the onions caramelize.

Stir in the apples and sherry and let it simmer until the apples are just tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Ladle the soup into bowls.

Garnish each bowl with a crouton.

Top the crouton with a slice of Muenster cheese. Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese melts.

The soup may be made (without the croutons) up to four days ahead and refrigerated, covered. Reheat it in a microwave or on the range top. Then garnish with the cheese-topped crouton and broil according to the recipe directions above.

Bon appetit!      ~Linda

Alsatian Onion Soup (from The Berghoff Café Cookbook by Carlyn Berghoff & Nancy Ross Ryan)   Makes 4 bowls or 8 cups of soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 cups (about 1½ pounds) yellow onion, halved vertically, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 2 quarts beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups peeled, julienned Granny Smith apples
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8½ inch-thick slices of baguette, toasted
• 8 slices Muenster cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in an 8- to 10-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden brown (but not burned), 15 to 25 minutes.

Add the broth, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes and bring it to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

Julienne the apples while the onions caramelize.

Stir in the apples and sherry and let it simmer until the apples are just tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a crouton.

Top the crouton with a slice of Muenster cheese. Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese melts.

The soup may be made (without the croutons) up to four days ahead and refrigerated, covered. Reheat it in a microwave or on the range top. Then garnish with the cheese-topped crouton and broil according to the recipe directions above.