I've made it a common destination for my new apartment home cooking nights to do the classic French dish: French Onion Soup, to the nines. It's simple enough for the making; and it suits practically all conceivable tastebuds to come.
The general context is that making French onion soup is somewhat similar to making burnt onion soup, but you'll be disappointed if you don't baby the process and look over the creation of this luxe delicacy.
The ingredients:
Red Onions
Butter
Balsamic Vinegar
Thyme
Oregano
Salt
White Pepper (ground)
Bread
Mozzarella Cheese
First skin and chop the onions into perhaps 1 inch or so squares. The onions are going to be the meat of the meal, so they shouldn't be chopped too small. Given that the dish is squarely onions, and therefore a vegetarian dish, it's slightly deceptive in how rich and filling the soup actually turns out to be, once it's done. The caramelization process puts a lot of heat through the onions, and the process of cooking them properly is a labor of love. You'll need to steam the onions, saute them, stir them, and lightly burnish them with the caramelized balsamic vinegar, all things at once. Don't leave the pot or pan sitting by itself for very long, and you can vary the temperature within reason; we're cooking with butter, so remember, don't turn the heat up to high at all, or for very long, if at all.
You'll definitely know when you've got caramelized French onions for soup in your pot. Feel free to taste the onions as you go so as to see just how candied and caramelized they are; surely the rich aromas of the cooking utensils have aroused your taste buds and stirred your belly into hungry mode. It will take perhaps 45 minutes to an hour to properly caramelize onions. It's worthwhile to use perhaps 5 onions to start, and to have several bowls of French onion soup at your disposal. The onions do well, also, in chili and beans. I like them by themselves, somewhat as candy, as well. They're a versatile treat.
Traditional French onion soup is served with bread, butter, and cheese atop the bowl of soup; it's a rich and flavorful treat that delights the senses. I used bread and butter with cheese, aside, by the slice, for dipping, in this instance. Just as well. Don't forget the seasonings! Throw them in in the last minutes of cooking so that they're not used up by the time the dish gets served.
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