Thread: French onion soup

On Feb 9, 7:19*pm, merryb <msg...@juno.com> wrote:
> I attempted making this this past week. I used half sweet onions, and
> half yellow. It was waaay too sweet, even after adding plenty of
> pepper. Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions? Any
> suggestions? TIA!!

I always use just regular yellow onions- as they carmelize they
sweeten up without getting TOO sweet. I also use Julia Child's
recipe, which can't hurt.

Do you add other sweet ingredients - like sugar?

Try it again - that soup is worth it!!

Good luck,
Kris

On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 16:19:21 -0800 (PST), merryb <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions?

start here....

http://americanfood.about.com/od/app...Onion_Soup.htm

"Mr. Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 16:19:21 -0800 (PST), merryb <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions?
>
> start here....
>
> http://americanfood.about.com/od/app...Onion_Soup.htm
>
>
This looks good. However you have to slice the onions. It would be
sacreligious to dice them.

Ther

On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 17:32:27 -0800, "Theron" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>This looks good. However you have to slice the onions. It would be
>sacreligious to dice them.

There is nothing more miserable than having a "string" onion with HOT
BUBBELING CHEESE falling on your bottom lip, burning the hell &
leaving scars, on your bottom lip.

That might not bother you. Tried it once....didn't like it.
Not fond of pizza cheese sticking to the roof of my mouth either. I
don't know why....just doesn't appeal to me.

In article
<[email protected]>,
merryb <[email protected]> wrote:

> I attempted making this this past week. I used half sweet onions, and
> half yellow. It was waaay too sweet, even after adding plenty of
> pepper. Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions? Any
> suggestions? TIA!!

I use a mix of white, red and yellow, equal parts of each.
--
Peace! Om

"Criminals thrive on the indulgence of societies understanding."

-- From "Batman Begins"

On Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:32:27 -0800, Theron wrote:

> "Mr. Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
>> On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 16:19:21 -0800 (PST), merryb <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions?
>>
>> start here....
>>
>> http://americanfood.about.com/od/app...Onion_Soup.htm
>>
>>
> This looks good. However you have to slice the onions. It would be
> sacreligious to dice them.
>
> Ther

There is definitely something verry wrong in this recipe. Probably more
than something. Dicing the onions to start with.. Two types of broth,
vinegar, sherry wine, and browning the onions, no flour to thicken. Any
Swiss cheese. What else can be wrong? It may be a tasty soup, but no way
it is French Onion Soup.
The best that can be said: it is American food soup.

--
Groet, salut, Wim.

Wim wrote:

> There is definitely something verry wrong in this recipe. Probably more
> than something. Dicing the onions to start with.. Two types of broth,
> vinegar, sherry wine, and browning the onions, no flour to thicken. Any
> Swiss cheese. What else can be wrong? It may be a tasty soup, but no way
> it is French Onion Soup.

Flour to thicken? Bad idea. Is that the way it's made in the Nether Regions?


> The best that can be said: it is American food soup.

Yeah, not like that great bananas-with-endive DUTCH cuisine! No wonder you
moved to France, even though you probably get ridiculed by your neighbors on
a daily basis without even realizing it.

Bob

On Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:16:10 -0800, Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Wim wrote:
>
>> There is definitely something verry wrong in this recipe. Probably more
>> than something. Dicing the onions to start with.. Two types of broth,
>> vinegar, sherry wine, and browning the onions, no flour to thicken. Any
>> Swiss cheese. What else can be wrong? It may be a tasty soup, but no
>> way it is French Onion Soup.
>
> Flour to thicken? Bad idea. Is that the way it's made in the Nether
> Regions?
>
>
>> The best that can be said: it is American food soup.
>
> Yeah, not like that great bananas-with-endive DUTCH cuisine! No wonder
> you moved to France, even though you probably get ridiculed by your
> neighbors on a daily basis without even realizing it.
>
> Bob

No doubt, but I rather get ridiculed by neigbors in southern France, than
in rainy Holland.
And onion soup starts with flowering the cut onions. And let them simmer
in butter or oil some time. Then gently pour in the broth. That is how it
is done.

--
Groet, salut, Wim.

On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 21:16:10 -0800, "Bob Terwilliger"
<virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz> wrote:

>Wim wrote:
>
>> There is definitely something verry wrong in this recipe. Probably more
>> than something. Dicing the onions to start with.. Two types of broth,
>> vinegar, sherry wine, and browning the onions, no flour to thicken. Any
>> Swiss cheese. What else can be wrong? It may be a tasty soup, but no way
>> it is French Onion Soup.
>
>Flour to thicken? Bad idea. Is that the way it's made in the Nether Regions?

Aren't you supposed to cut the onions from top to bottom so they don't
break down so fast? I've never heard of the flour thing either.

Lou

On Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:44:36 -0500, Mr. Bill <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 17:32:27 -0800, "Theron" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>This looks good. However you have to slice the onions. It would be
>>sacreligious to dice them.
>
>There is nothing more miserable than having a "string" onion with HOT
>BUBBELING CHEESE falling on your bottom lip, burning the hell &
>leaving scars, on your bottom lip.
>
>That might not bother you. Tried it once....didn't like it.
>Not fond of pizza cheese sticking to the roof of my mouth either. I
>don't know why....just doesn't appeal to me.

ROFLMAO!!! I'll bet you don't like candle wax poured onto your hands,
either. Some people are such wimps! LOL!

I agree with you, 100%. Food and pain don't go together in my book.

Carol

--
Change "invalid" to JamesBond's agent number to reply.

On Feb 9, 4:40*pm, Kris <shanno...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 9, 7:19*pm, merryb <msg...@juno.com> wrote:
>
> > I attempted making this this past week. I used half sweet onions, and
> > half yellow. It was waaay too sweet, even after adding plenty of
> > pepper. Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions? Any
> > suggestions? TIA!!
>
> I always use just regular yellow onions- as they carmelize they
> sweeten up without getting TOO sweet. *I also use Julia Child's
> recipe, which can't hurt.
>
> Do you add other sweet ingredients - like sugar?
>
> Try it again - that soup is worth it!!
>
> Good luck,
> Kris

Yes, the recipe called for a tsp? of sugar to help caramenize the
onions, which I thought was unnecessary, but I did it anyway. I did
slice them from top to bottom like Lou suggested. I guess the added
sugar and sweet onions were the culprit- next time, I'll know better!
I did freeze the leftovers, but I'm sure they will be lousy- I'm
thinking the onions will be a mess, but it'll be okay in spaghetti
sauce or something along those lines. Thanks for everyone's help!

merryb wrote:
> I attempted making this this past week. I used half sweet onions, and
> half yellow. It was waaay too sweet, even after adding plenty of
> pepper. Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions? Any
> suggestions? TIA!!

Here's my favorite recipe, which I can heartily recommend:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Onion Soup

Recipe By :Fernande Garvin
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : *French Soups/Stews


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 medium onions -- thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups consommé
4 cups water
1/4 cup boiled milk
1/4 pound grated Swiss cheese
6 slices French bread -- dried in oven, not
-- toasted
salt and pepper -- to taste
2 tablespoons melted butter

In heavy skillet, cook onions in heated butter until slightly browned.
Sprinkle with flour and cook over low flame until golden, never allowing
them to become dark brown. Add consommé and water. Bring to boil,
stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, then simmer gently for 20
minutes uncovered. Add milk. Pour into ovenproof casserole or
individual bowls. Place slices of bread on top. Sprinkle generously
with cheese. Add pepper. Sprinkle with melted butter. Brown quickly
under broiler flame. Serve.

Comments: If there is one French dish which is popular all over the
world, in all categories of restaurants, it is onion soup. Every day,
everywhere, people expectantly order onion soup, but what they too often
get is a sorry brew, the result of a long series of deteriorations of
the original recipe.

Honest-to-goodness onion soup is neither expensive nor difficult to
make. The important thing is that the taste of onion is well blended
and not bitter or harsh. The soup has the consistency of light cream
and is of a golden color. It is not a clear broth in which float small
pieces of dark and desiccated onion and a few specks of grated cheese.
Grated cheese may be added at the table, but a sufficient quantity has
to cook in the soup itself.

Note that the slices of bread should be dried in a heated oven after the
flame has been turned off. Do not toast them.

With proper care, you will get a smooth, soothing, golden soup, which
succeeds in being both pungent and delicate -- no small achievement
indeed!

Recipe Source: THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING by Fernande Garvin

Dora

"Wim van Bemmel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:499145ca$0$197$[email protected]..
> On Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:16:10 -0800, Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>
>> Wim wrote:
>>
>>> There is definitely something verry wrong in this recipe. Probably more
>>> than something. Dicing the onions to start with.. Two types of broth,
>>> vinegar, sherry wine, and browning the onions, no flour to thicken. Any
>>> Swiss cheese. What else can be wrong? It may be a tasty soup, but no
>>> way it is French Onion Soup.
>>
>> Flour to thicken? Bad idea. Is that the way it's made in the Nether
>> Regions?
>>
>>
>>> The best that can be said: it is American food soup.
>>
>> Yeah, not like that great bananas-with-endive DUTCH cuisine! No wonder
>> you moved to France, even though you probably get ridiculed by your
>> neighbors on a daily basis without even realizing it.
>>
>> Bob
>
> No doubt, but I rather get ridiculed by neigbors in southern France, than
> in rainy Holland.

Helluva good come back - I think he's got ya there, Bob!

> And onion soup starts with flowering the cut onions. And let them simmer
> in butter or oil some time. Then gently pour in the broth. That is how it
> is done.

That's how I always do it. But I confess, I don't use flour to thicken it.

TammyM

On Feb 10, 12:16*am, "Bob Terwilliger" <virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz>
wrote:
> Wim wrote:
> > There is definitely something verry wrong in this recipe. Probably more
> > than something. Dicing the onions to start with.. Two types of broth,
> > vinegar, sherry wine, and browning the onions, no flour to thicken. Any
> > Swiss cheese. What else can be wrong? It may be a tasty soup, but no way
> > it is French Onion Soup.
>
> Flour to thicken? Bad idea. Is that the way it's made in the Nether Regions?

Really? Flour is often used in French Onion soup. Granted, it's not a
lot, just enough to give a bit of body to the broth, not actually
*thicken* it.

>
> > The best that can be said: it is American food soup.
>
> Yeah, not like that great bananas-with-endive DUTCH cuisine! No wonder you
> moved to France, even though you probably get ridiculed by your neighborson
> a daily basis without even realizing it.
>
> Bob

When I was in the Netherlands I enjoyed eating out. Plus the Dutch
were very friendly. And I have to say, some people would find that the
French laughing at them to be a compliment, considering the source...

>
> "Mr. Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
>> On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 16:19:21 -0800 (PST), merryb <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions?
>>
>> start here....
>>
>> http://americanfood.about.com/od/app...Onion_Soup.htm
>>
>>
> This looks good. However you have to slice the onions. It would be
> sacreligious to dice them.
>
> Ther
>

We had French onion soup in Paris and the onions were diced instead of
sliced. It did make the onion soup somewhat easier to eat. When we got
back home I tried dicing instead of slicing and after that I went back to
the slicing method.

I do have what I call a "quick and dirty" recipe for French onion soup, but
I don't think it should be called "Classic French Onion Soup":

Chris

* Exported from MasterCook *

Classic French Onion Soup

Recipe By :Minor's
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soup Soups and Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups onions -- sliced 1/8" thick
5 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Minor's Beef Base + 1 teaspoon

In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, sauté 25-35 minutes
or until onions turn a rich brown color, stirring frequently. Be careful
not to burn onions. Add water and Base. Heat to boiling, stirring often.
Reduce heat: gently boil 5 minutes. Garnish with toasted French bread
topped with melted gruyere or Swiss Cheese.

The amount of Beef Base in this recipe may need adjusting according to
personal preference.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


NOTES : I use about at 75-25 ratio of Minor's beef base... about 75%
Minor's regular beef base and about 25% Minor's low sodium beef base.

Also when I top the onion soup I use a high quality Swiss and place toasted
slices of baguettes topped with Swiss and place it under the broiler until
it bubbles and browns a little.

"Dora" ha scritto nel messaggio > > Dora

Hi, Dora! It is very nice to see your name here.

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:25:03 -0500, "Dora" <[email protected]> wrote:

>merryb wrote:
>> I attempted making this this past week. I used half sweet onions, and
>> half yellow. It was waaay too sweet, even after adding plenty of
>> pepper. Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions? Any
>> suggestions? TIA!!
>
>Here's my favorite recipe, which I can heartily recommend:
>
>
>* Exported from MasterCook *
>
> Onion Soup
>
>Recipe By :Fernande Garvin
>Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
>Categories : *French Soups/Stews
>
>
> Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
>-------- ------------ --------------------------------
> 3 medium onions -- thinly sliced
> 2 tablespoons butter
> 1 tablespoon flour
> 2 cups consommé
> 4 cups water
> 1/4 cup boiled milk
> 1/4 pound grated Swiss cheese
> 6 slices French bread -- dried in oven, not
> -- toasted
> salt and pepper -- to taste
> 2 tablespoons melted butter
>
>In heavy skillet, cook onions in heated butter until slightly browned.
>Sprinkle with flour and cook over low flame until golden, never allowing
>them to become dark brown. Add consommé and water. Bring to boil,
>stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, then simmer gently for 20
>minutes uncovered. Add milk. Pour into ovenproof casserole or
>individual bowls. Place slices of bread on top. Sprinkle generously
>with cheese. Add pepper. Sprinkle with melted butter. Brown quickly
>under broiler flame. Serve.
>
>Comments: If there is one French dish which is popular all over the
>world, in all categories of restaurants, it is onion soup. Every day,
>everywhere, people expectantly order onion soup, but what they too often
>get is a sorry brew, the result of a long series of deteriorations of
>the original recipe.
>
>Honest-to-goodness onion soup is neither expensive nor difficult to
>make. The important thing is that the taste of onion is well blended
>and not bitter or harsh. The soup has the consistency of light cream
>and is of a golden color. It is not a clear broth in which float small
>pieces of dark and desiccated onion and a few specks of grated cheese.
>Grated cheese may be added at the table, but a sufficient quantity has
>to cook in the soup itself.
>
>Note that the slices of bread should be dried in a heated oven after the
>flame has been turned off. Do not toast them.
>
>With proper care, you will get a smooth, soothing, golden soup, which
>succeeds in being both pungent and delicate -- no small achievement
>indeed!
>
>Recipe Source: THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING by Fernande Garvin
>
>Dora
>
Glad to see you back here. Hope you stick around for a while.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

merryb <[email protected]> wrote in news:61810314-dbc1-4819-b850-
[email protected]:

> On Feb 9, 4:40*pm, Kris <shanno...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On Feb 9, 7:19*pm, merryb <msg...@juno.com> wrote:
>>
>> > I attempted making this this past week. I used half sweet onions,
and
>> > half yellow. It was waaay too sweet, even after adding plenty of
>> > pepper. Guess I should have just used plain old yellow onions? Any
>> > suggestions? TIA!!
>>
>> I always use just regular yellow onions- as they carmelize they
>> sweeten up without getting TOO sweet. *I also use Julia Child's
>> recipe, which can't hurt.
>>
>> Do you add other sweet ingredients - like sugar?
>>
>> Try it again - that soup is worth it!!
>>
>> Good luck,
>> Kris
>
> Yes, the recipe called for a tsp? of sugar to help caramenize the
> onions, which I thought was unnecessary, but I did it anyway. I did
> slice them from top to bottom like Lou suggested. I guess the added
> sugar and sweet onions were the culprit- next time, I'll know better!
> I did freeze the leftovers, but I'm sure they will be lousy- I'm
> thinking the onions will be a mess, but it'll be okay in spaghetti
> sauce or something along those lines. Thanks for everyone's help!

may I suggest maling the soup in a crockpot...

Melba (Barb) discovered that the crockpot makes perfect caramelized
onions with little bother or work and posted about it a while ago. Just
add a little butter to the crockpot and chuck in the sliced onions...on
low for about 6 hrs. If by accident you make too much the excess freezes
for future use in say a caramelized onion quiche or fratatta.

This will give you the base flavour of the soup and then add your beef
broth and seasonings.

Recently I had a potato bacon soup while dinning out and I am going to
try and workout a simillar recipe...making the broth outa chicken stock
and mashed potatoes and adding veggies such as green pepper, celery,
carrot and onions but not sure about the use of garlic in the soup yet.
oh and of course the bacon, I'm thinking double apple smoked bacon
(sliced extra thin)...seasoning is still in the air. But I want the
seasoning to kinda match up with hash brown seasonings. Probably go with
salt, lots of pepper and a mess of thyme, marjoram and some chevril.



--

The beet goes on -Alan

Giusi wrote:
> "Dora" ha scritto nel messaggio > > Dora
>
> Hi, Dora! It is very nice to see your name here.

Thanks, Judith!
D.