I love making sauces, gravies, soups and dips. Jeddy has a nickname for me "Saucy T". He knows that what ever main dish he comes up with, I will whip up the perfect accompaniment. Recently we have been working with a local brewery and playing with the different things we can make with their beer and our spice blends. It has been so fun to experiment and discover how the different beers offer different flavor levels to our meals.
Although there are many sauces, we want to share a soup today. Southern Sol's version of French Onion Soup. Just thinking about this soup makes me want to run out and grab a French baguette. But I will wait till our farmers market this weekend and grab one from our French pastry chef there.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 tsp of olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 5-6 large sweet onions thinly sliced (about 6 cups
- 12 oz of lager
- 5 cups beef stock or if you are like us have some bone broth on hand
- 1 1/2 tsp of UnBayLeafAble
- 1 1/2 tsp of Take Thyme to Smell the Lavender..Herbs de Provence
- 1 baguette cut into 2" slices and toasted
- 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese; we are a cheese loving family so we will admit we usually use more then this
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In a large stockpot or instapot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.
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Add the onions to the pot
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Turn heat to medium high, add half the onions tossing to coat; then add the rest with all the onions. Add sea salt to help release the liquid from the onions and cook uncovered for about 35-45 minutes, stirring every 6-8 minutes. You want to maintain a gentle simmer and you don't want any burning so you may need to reduce heat depending on your stovetop (ours runs hot so we keep it at low) Cook until liquid has evaporated and onions are soft and caramelized. If the liquid cooks off too soon you can add a tsp or 2 of water to continue to get the onions soft.
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Add the beer, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, UnBayLeafAble, and TakeThyme to Smell the Lavender-Herbs de Provence, stirring well. Bring heat up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
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Preheat broiler to medium high
- Toast french bread slices.
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Put six French onion soup bowls. If you only have oven-safe soup bowls the quantity may differ based on size. Place them on a baking sheet and ladle soup into each one.
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Put toasted french bread on top of each, Now pile that shredded cheese on top of the toasted bread.
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Broil until cheese melts.
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Serve Hot
Just a few tips
- Want a vegetarian soup just use vegetable stock instead.
- Gluten-free you can always find a gluten free beer and baguette. Don't forget to find a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce because most are not.
- Make ahead or just want a couple bowls of soup. Go ahead and make the full recipe. Allow the soup to cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. When you want a soup crock just heat up a couple ladles to a simmer, then pour in your soup crocks, add the bread and cheese and broil in your toaster oven.