Recipes Details

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overview

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French Onion Soup

menu de la semaine
menu gourmand

This classic soup can be served either as a simple lunch or as a feature on an extravagant dinner
party menu by adding puff pastry to seal the soup bowl which is then garnished with ornate puff

wine philosophy

pastry lattice. Another great variation is to add beer or cider to the finished product. Simply add

recipes

whilst simmering approximately 100 ml of alcohol per 300 ml serve. Simmer for a further
minute to cook out the alcohol and serve, it really gives a second dimension to the flavour. The
recipe makes enough for 6 serves.

4/9/2007 5:23 PM

Recipes Details

2 of 2

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Method

Ingredients

Soup

50ml duck fat

In a heavy based pan on a low heat, melt the duck fat

8 onions, evenly sliced

Add the onions and cook slowly to caramelise

2 heads of garlic, finely

Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes

chopped

Deglaze the pan with the white wine

500ml white wine

Add the veal stock and the thyme

2L veal stock (see recipe)

Cook the liquid until it is reduced by one-third

6 sprigs of thyme

Remove from the heat and serve

12 large croutons from a stale

Sprinkle the grated gruyere over the croutons and grill for 2 minutes or until cheese has

baguette

melted and started to slightly colour

6 tablespoons grated gruyere

Puff Pastry

cheese

Place the soup into the bowls and leave to chill in the fridge. Measure the puff pastry to fit
over the bowls with an excess of at least 2 cm. Place the puff pastry onto each dish and seal the

Puff Pastry Variation

edges firmly into the bowl. Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then sprinkle evenly over

12 squares of puff pastry

with grated cheese

approximately 5 mm thick

Using a lattice cutter cut each remaining square of pastry with the cutter and spread over the

and 2cm in diameter larger

top of the egg washed pastry and gently seal the edges over the top of the first layer of pastry.

than the serving bowls

Rest in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to baking

2 eggs beaten
6 tablespoons grated gruyere

NB Always remember to work on cold surfaces and makes sure the pastry is always cold and

Veal Stock

straight from the fridge.

1kg veal knuckle bones

Veal Stock

1 cups olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F)

1 headsof garlic, cut in half

Heat a baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes, add the veal bones and 1 cup of the olive oil

1/4 bunch of thyme

and place in the oven for 40 minutes or until dark brown and caramelised

5 white peppercorns

Heat the remaining olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan, add the garlic, thyme, peppercorns,

1 large carrots, roughly

carrots, onions and celery and cook for 15 minutes or until coloured and soft

chopped

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until a deep brown colour develops. (This

1 brown onions, roughly

is the most crucial stage of the stock, use plenty of oil to prevent the tomato paste from

chopped

burning.)

1 stick of celery, roughly

Add the red wine and reduce until evaporated

chopped

Place the veal bones into a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and

200g tomato paste

skim off any impurities, this is called despum. Add the vegetable and wine reduction

lt red wine

Bring to the boil and proceed to skim off the red fat that rises to the top, this is called
degrass
Simmer the stock on very low heat for 24 hours, continuously topping up with water to
prevent the liquid level falling below the bones
Carefully strain the stock through a coarse sieve, then a fine sieve
Return to the stove and reduce by half, skimming any impurities that rise to the surface.
Strain once more and store in the refrigerator or freezer until required

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4/9/2007 5:23 PM