French Onion Soup: The Dutch Oven Secret

Making French onion soup can quickly turn into a labor of love. This isn't just because of the time it takes to slice through the onions, but rather the patience required to slowly cook them into a caramelized paradise. The classic French onion soup is a dish of layered flavors, but what if there was a way to enhance the cooking process, while ensuring the dish turns out perfectly every single time? The secret is using a Dutch oven. This heavy-duty pot is usually reserved for high-end recipes, such as stews and roasts, which require a longer time to cook. The real magic, though, happens when you decide to use it for French onion soup. The Dutch oven encourages a slow, even cooking process, which avoids the usual hot spots that cause the onions to brown too quickly. This slow method means there are fewer chances for the onions to burn and makes them soft and tender. The Dutch oven’s enamel glazed finish is also a game changer. This material creates a glide-like surface that easily releases caramelized bits. Normally, when fond (the crunchy bits of onion that stick to the pan and brown) happens in regular pots, it tends to burn quickly. The Dutch oven's surface allows the fond to form without burning. This ensures that the onions maintain their sweetness, rich flavor, and velvety texture. Another advantage of the Dutch oven is the lid. The heavy lid keeps the moisture inside, creating a unique environment for the onions to fully develop their flavor without drying up. This ensures the onions become soft and flavorful in their own juices. The Dutch oven master recipe calls for a large quantity of onions. However, once they are cooked down to almost half their volume, the onions become sweet and rich. You will not need to babysit them after cooking them for the first 45 minutes. Next, you face roughly 15 minutes of intermittent activity to stir and scrape the fond on the bottom. You can let the soup simmer for another 20 minutes before the aromas fill your kitchen. The soup is full of soft, velvety onions and rich in umami. This brothy soup is elevated by the addition of a cheesy bread topping. The addition of herbs such as thyme and bay leaves, simmered for 15 minutes, adds a new dimension of flavor to the soup. The time required for this soup might seem like a lot, but it is well worth it. The final touch is a perfect cheesy toasted bread, which is a great companion. Adding onions to the base ingredients like butter, wine, vinegar, and broth creates a soup with a depth of flavor that is unmatched. The ingredients for this soup are simple. Four tablespoons of unsalted butter, eight to ten cups of sliced onions, a teaspoon of salt, a splash of sherry vinegar, a splash of dry red wine, and 3 1/2 cups of beef broth. To prepare, melt the butter in the Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onions and salt and toss them to coat the onions in butter. Cover the pot and let the onions simmer for about 15 minutes. The onions are ready when they become soft and have already released a lot of water. It would be best if you were careful not to overcook the onions during the next phase. It is important to stir the onions every 10 minutes or so. This will prevent them from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot. The onions will reduce to half their volume and develop a golden color. Now it is time to add the sherry vinegar and wine. Add the broth and herbs and let this simmer together for 20 minutes on low heat. The lid can stay on the pot but cracked. While the soup is simmering, you can prepare the cheesy bread topping. Top the bread slices with cheese and broil them until the cheese is melted. Once the soup is ready, remove the herbs from the soup. If you have any stale bread left over, chop it up and drop some into the bottom of each soup bowl. Spoon the soup into the bowls and shave some cheese over it. Then top each serving with a slab of cheesy bread.