Recipe for French Onion Soup

WHOLE CHICKEN STOCK

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 to 5 pounds), remove any paper or big fat globs inside the bird
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 2 carrots, scrubbed and cut in half
• 2 celery stalks (with leaves if possible), cut in half
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed open, skin removed
• 2 large bay leaves
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 stems fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• water to cover chicken – at least 4 quarts

METHOD

Place all the ingredients in a large stock pot over medium high heat.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for four hours, skimming any scum from the top of the broth.
Remove from heat, strain solids from the stock. Discard the vegetables. The chicken can be used for soups, etcetera
Allow stock to cool uncovered.
Once cool, cover and place in fridge overnight.
Discard fat that forms on top of broth

FRENCH ONION SOUP

• ¹⁄₂ cup unsalted butter
• 3 medium onions, thinly sliced – 6 cups
• 1 leek, thinly sliced – white part only
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¹⁄₄ cup cognac
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 ¹⁄₂ quarts chicken stock
• 2 cups dry white vermouth
• salt and pepper, to taste

Croutons:

• 8 thick slices French bread
• soft butter
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 4 ounces emmantal cheese, grated
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated

METHOD Soup:

Melt butter over medium heat in a large stock pot.
Add thinly sliced onions and saute, stirring often, until they start to colour.
Stir in minced garlic. Make sure you are working over a very low heat. Cook onion and garlic mixture for up to three hours or until very golden.
Sprinkle flour over onions and stir in well.
Deglaze the onion pot with cognac then light on fire to burn off the alcohol.
Add the stock, vermouth, dried thyme, bay leaves and Dijon mustard
Stirring often, heat until very hot.

Croutons

Preheat oven to 350*F.
Heavily butter 8 thick slices of French baguette then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly toasted.

Assembly

Preheat broiler on high
Mix the cheeses together in a large bowl.
Ladle soup into prewarmed bowls.
Float croutons on top of each bowl then divide cheese between the bowls.
Place the bowls on a large baking sheet and place under your broiler until cheese in bubbling.
Place soup bowl on a napkin lined serving plate.))