Soup Du Jeer

Until fairly recently, France was the number one overseas tourist destination (The UK has displaced the continent as far as passported travel goes). A century ago it was, unapologetically the place to send young adults to become cultured, the language a necessity. From Truman through Cater Administrations - Paris was viewed as an avant-garde hotbed; the city of lights was thought of as a center of romance, culinary/artistic/intellectual leadership and sophistication. Historically, France was our nation’s first ally and one of our more consistent partners through the centuries, something has happened - now the prevalent view is that the French are a bunch of cheese eating surrender monkeys.

What changed? Maybe us. With our reverence for athletic, military and industrial might nowadays intellectuals, artists, style makers are thought to be the people who couldn’t cut it as CEOs and entrepreneurs. And there is this theory about the homogenization of American culture – the further we get away from our immigrant roots, the more the ideal of a far off culture becomes. 2 or 3 generations lacking a grandparent who spoke a native tongue, who grew up listening to stories about the hardships of the old country - with no direct connection to a homeland, the people, place and customs become mythologized – this idea does much to explain the popularity of Riverdancing outside of Ireland.

It also helps explain the animus of toward the French. Other than Chef Boyardee there just aren’t that many Franco-Americans around to celebrate all things French. There is something else – as the American culture races between both the high and low, The French appear to be quite satisfied with what aspires to be good. That ideal along with Nice olives, Dijon Mustard and the films of Danile Auitel is something I can revere. And whatever your feelings about the country, French Onion Soup is something we can all agree upon.

4 oz butter
6 large onions (red, white, yellow or any combo), thinly sliced
1 pinch of salt + 1 Tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup sherry or Madeira
6 cups stock – Chicken, veg, beef, mushroom all work real well here.

The leaves from 6 parsley stems
The leaves from 4-6 thyme stems
2-4 Bay leaves
¼ balsamic vinegar
Black pepper

Croutons – 6 Slices of bread – 4 oz of shredded Gruyère, Emmenthal or Swiss cheese.

Choose a pot with a large surface area. Slice onions and add to pot with butter and salt and soy sauce. Your heat is low. Thomas Keller of the French Laundry fame writes that it takes 4 hours to brown his onions. It takes time – not expertise, talent or even too much attention beyond the occasional stir, but it takes time to develop the rich dark color and flavor from the onions. Give this two hours, the payoff is worth the effort and once the onions are done the soup is pretty much all over.  

And much can be done in two hours – make stock, prepare the croutons by slicing bread, shred the cheese, placing the cheese on the bread and closely watching as you broil until the cheese gets all melty and fine. Chop the parsley and thyme leaves. Drink a beer, call a parent, be mindful- a watched pot will cook onions - just not excitingly. 

It is okay to deglaze the bottom of the onion pan with the Madeira or stock periodically. It helps get the fond up off the pan and on to the onions, keeps the temperature of the pan down and condenses the flavor of the onions. Just keep in mind you are sautéing the onions not poaching them – a little moisture, a little stirring.

When the onions have reached the desired brownness, add stock, stock bay, parsley, thyme, balsamic, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes – ladle in bowls top with jumbo cheesy crouton and eat.


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