Onion soup stirs memories of Paris
By Noelle Carter
Los Angeles Times
Dear SOS: Some 40 years ago while in Paris, four of us made a late-night trip to the Halles (produce) market. The workers were huddled around this stand that was selling onion soup, and we ordered some to warm us up. It was fantastic! I have been trying all these years to get a bowl that was comparable. I hit upon Comme Ca Brasserie in West Hollywood, Calif., and was delighted to find their soup. I go there every chance I get.
— Merle S. Glick, Los Angeles
Dear Merle: Comme Ca's version of this classic hits all the right notes. Start with a generous amount of slowly caramelized onions, and gently simmer them in a broth brightened with a little sherry and hints of thyme and bay leaf. Serve each portion topped with a slice of crusty French bread — or two — hidden under a creamy layer of melted Gruyere.
SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE
Note: Adapted from Comme Ca. The soup is best made one day in advance.
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the onions and butter in large lidded casserole, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover and place in the oven. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the onions are softened and a light golden-brown, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. Transfer the casserole to the stove-top and heat over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are a deep golden-brown and just begin to stick to the bottom of the pot to form a crust. Be careful to watch that the onions do not burn, and scrape the bottom of the pan frequently.
3. Add half of the water and cook, scraping the bottom constantly, until the water has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add the sherry and continue cooking and scraping until it has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the remaining water, chicken broth and beef broth, as well as the thyme bundle and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer and continue to cook for 40 minutes. Remove the thyme bundle and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. While the soup is simmering, prepare the toasts: Slice the French bread on a bias into 1/2-inch-thick slices large enough to fit inside each soup bowl (use one toast if it will fit, two if the slices are smaller). Toast the bread until crisp and golden. Set aside.
6. Fill 8 oven-proof soup bowls with soup to 1/2 inch from the rim, making sure to distribute onions evenly between bowls. Lay the toasts on top of the soup, inside the edges of the bowl. Sprinkle the grated Gruyere evenly over the tops of the bowls and place the bowls under the broiler just until the cheese is bubbling and begins to brown in places. Serve immediately.
Total time: 3 hours
Serves 8
Each serving: 490 calories; 27 grams protein; 36 grams carbohydrate; 3 grams fiber; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 78 milligrams cholesterol; 808 milligrams sodium
