Have you ever had one of those days where you have the funk? The kind of day when nothing is going right? When you really just want to crawl back into bed, cry yourself to sleep, and start again tomorrow morning. Today is one of those days for me. However, being a homemaker me being in a funk doesn’t mean my family doesn’t have to eat. No matter how I feel, I still have to make dinner.
Now of course I could tell my husband to pick up Taco Bell on his way home from work, or declare it’s a day for sub sandwiches (neither are things I ever really eat). But these are the days (in the words of my mother) when you have to suck it up and put on your big girl panties and ovary up.
What to make on such a craptastic day? Let’s see… something warm, easy, hearty, and with lots of ooey-gooey cheese… Do you know where I’m going? French onion soup. Yeah, I just pulled out the big guns of comfort food. Buttery, cheesy, filled with bread, and a really hearty broth that can’t help it but make you feel good. And we can accomplish all of that goodness without hours spent slaving over the stove! In addition to French onion soup packing a lot of flavor for not a lot of time it also is fairly budget-friendly. I usually walk away at about 2-3 dollars a serving, depending on how much I spend on cheese.
It’s certainly not the healthiest recipe in my repertoire, but some days a little butter is called for. OK, I confess, in an effort to make it a bit more healthy, I do sneak veggies into my french onion soup. It is amazingly easy to sneak in some nice greens (if you have some greens that are slightly past their prime, this is a great way to use them up) or some carrots. With carrots, boil them first and purée to add an additional sweetness to the broth with all the health benefits of carrots. Just don’t tell anyone you added anything. If anyone notices the greens just say they are onion greens *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*.
A word on cheese: You can not have french onion soup without cheese. It should be illegal to commit such a travesty (unless one is lactose intolerant or vegan). What kind of cheese really does not matter. Everyone has their own personal preference. My only guideline is whatever cheese must be white. Some common choices are Mozzarella, Swiss, Italian blend (you know the pre-shredded ones from the grocery store), or muenster. If you want to step it up a bit you can use Gouda, Brie, or my personal favorite Gruyere.
Even just talking about it is making me perk up so I’m sure after I’m finished I may have turned back into a human being.
Basic French Onion Soup:
- 1 stick salted butter (yes, it must be salted)
- 3 large onions cut into strips
- 1-2 Tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup lager or ale (you can use white wine if you prefer, but we use beer)
- 1 1/2 quarts beef broth
- 2 Tbsp dried thyme or herbs du provence
- Cracked pepper croutons
- White cheese (see above)
In a large stock pot, melt your butter. Add in your onions and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized (about 20 minutes). You do NOT want to burn your onions, so watch your heat. When the onions are translucent and brown, add one Tablespoon flour and stir, making a roux. Deglaze your pan with beer and then add the broth and stir. Mix in the herbs, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
To serve French onion soup, heat your broiler. Place the croutons at the bottom of soup crocks. Ladle in the soup to cover the croutons and put a healthy layer of cheese on top. Put the crocks under the broiler for 5 minutes, just long enough to melt and slightly brown the cheese.
