This soup is, by far, one of my favorites at Pavil. You will love their French Onion Soup on a chilly day. Or, any day for that matter!
Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes. In large soup pot skillet heat medium high heat and add butter. Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet. Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning. Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency. Add Apple Jack and chicken stock and veal demi(or Beef Bouillon Cubes), add apple cider and tie sache bag to skillet handle and place bag in the pot. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Cooking Instructions
Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler. Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks. Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute. Adjust seasonings to soup with S _&_ P to taste. Remove sache bag. For crocks each crock ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip. Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with 3 ounces of grated cheese. Bake at 450°F for 4 minutes until cheese melts then turn up broiler and brown until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Yields 6 portions
Ingredients
Soup
- Jumbo sweet onions
- 1 T Butter
- 2 T Blended 90/10 olive oil
- 1 t Salt
- 2 c White wine
- 15 oz Chicken stock
- 5 oz Demi glaze _or_ 5 Beef boullion cubes
- 10 oz Apple cider (unfiltered is better but regular is fine)
- 1 Sache bag (ingredients below)
- 1 loaf French baguette, sliced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 3 oz Apple brandy
- ½ c Gruyere cheese, grated
- ½ c Fontina cheese, grated
Sache bag
- 2 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 8 cloves Garlic, lightly crushed
- 2 Bay leaves
- 10 Black peppercorns, lightly cracked
- 3 Parsley stems