The Soup - French Onion Soup Au Gratin

My guests then ascended to the dining room.  Unfortunately, I didn't have a golden capsule for them to ride in, but they made it safely.

French Onion Soup Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 quarts beef broth
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

I used my own homemade broth. I toasted the bread beforehand, and because I don't have a broiler in my second oven, I placed the toasted bread on the soup, topped it with the grated cheese, and heated the bowls in my oven until the cheese melted.

The wine served with this soup was 2010 Lucien Albrecht "Balthazar" Pinot Blanc Reserve.  

 If I had been choosing, I probably wouldn't have put a white wine with this soup.  But I know nothing about choosing wine, so it's a good thing I didn't do it!  I do know a good wine when I taste it, however.  This went very well.  It was a full-bodied white that reminded me of a red wine.  It had fairly assertive flavors, nice roundness, and stood up nicely to the rich, onion-y broth.  I really enjoyed it!  

A word about the wines for this meal.  Again, I relied on my wine guy.  He's great!  His name is Erik, and you can find him at the Central Market in Mill Creek.  I can't say enough good things about him. If you ever need a recommendation for a good wine, go to him.  He knows his products, and he's great to work with.  I just give him my price range and the menu, and he does the rest.  He makes me look good every time I do this.  Every once in a while, I come up with some dish that challenges him, but each time he has risen to the challenge and chosen a great wine.  Which is great, because I know next to nothing about wine!  He takes all the pressure off me, and really completes the meal.  Thank you, Erik!  

Tomorrow, Crab en Brochette.