This iconic dish dates back at least to the 17th century. In his Great Culinary Dictionary, Alexandre Dumas gives two recipes for onion soup. Or better that of a “Vuillemot onion soup”, ideally prepared with white bean juice, bread and a little cheese and that of a “Stanislas onion soup”, which he considers much finer and similar with what we consume today. He says that the former king of Poland Stanislas stopped one day in an inn in Châlons, during a trip between Lunéville and Versailles, where he went regularly to see the queen, respectively her daughter. And that “he was served an onion soup so delicate and careful that he did not want to go on without learning how to prepare a similar one. Wrapped in her dress, Her Majesty came down to the kitchen and absolutely wanted the chef to operate under her eyes. Neither the smoke nor the smell of onions, which brought him big tears, could distract him. “He observed everything, noticed it and did not return to the car until he was sure that he had mastered the art of making excellent onion soup.” Here is our version, which should fascinate you just as much.
Difficulty: easy
Time: 30 min
Cost / pers. : € 2.30
Ingredients for 4 people
1 kg of yellow onions
1 liter of vegetable or chicken juice
5 c. in s. olive oil
140 g fondant des Alpes or other hard cheese
Slice of bread slightly stale
Thyme, salt and pepper
Recipe steps
1. Do not cry, Jeannette
Peel an onion and cut it in half and then into thin slices.
2. We will marry you
Fry them in a pot of oil for 5 minutes, then add the meat juice, add thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes.
3. With your friend Pierre
Sprinkle the bread slices with grated cheese and place them under the broiler for a few minutes, watching them carefully.
Serve the unmixed soup in bowls with crust au gratin.