It is that time again. This time it is French onion soup (serves 4):
Now, the "Frenchness" consists of an additional part: toasted bread with gratin cheese on it. Now we vegans / gluten / lactose allergies cannot do that. Instead, take gluten free bread, toast it in the oven. Then put vegan cheese on it (best kinds have just sunflower oil, potato starch, and lupine starch).
EQUIPMENT- Pan for the soup, preferably around 3 liters SIZE (not cooked volume).
- Pan to heat the stock, around 1.5 liters SIZE (not cooked volume).
- Proper kitchen knife
- Small knife to peel the onions, if necessary
INGREDIENTS- 1.2kg onions
- 1.5 liter beef stock (vegan: vegetable stock)
- 4 tbsp cognac
- 250 ml dry white wine
- 1 tbsp dark casted sugar
- 15-20 thyme twigs, bound together
- olive oil (if lactose allowed: 50g butter + 2 tbsp olive oil)
- 3 tbsp starch, I use rice starch (glutenfree).
PREPARATION- Peel onions, cut in half and then slice in thin (half rings).
- Put largest pan on medium fire with enough olive oil to cover the whole base.
- Put the stock in the other pan, warm it up slowly and keep it hot. This is to prevent the onions from cooling down instantly when you pour the stock in.
- iLLucionists flavor guaranteed method: slowly simmer onions for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add 1 tbsp dark casted sugar, put heat to medium-high, stir occasionally and let it burn a little bit and scrape it a bit off every time for 20 minutes. After this, you have the sweetness from the slow simmer and the smokiness and deep flavor from the burn.
- Add 250 ml white wine, deglaze the pan for 2 min: scrape gently over the bottom.
- Add 3 tbps of starch, I use rice starch. Mix together till it binds.
- Add the thyme, the stock and let simmer for 30-40 min.
- Add the cognac, mix together. Taste. Add water to reduce saltiness or reduce down if you want it more saltier. Add peper to taste.
