Best Braised French Onion Soup Recipes

BRAISED FRENCH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Hear oven to 425°F.
• Combine wine, 1/2 cup of the sherry, 8 tablespoons of butter, sugar, onions, and salt and pepper in a 9x13-inch casserole dish and braise, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to brown, 40-45 minutes. Remove casserole from oven, cover with foil, and continuing braising in oven, about 1 hour. Keep onions warm.
• Meanwhile, tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni. Put bouquet garni and broth into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Remove and discard bouquet garni. Stir in remaining sherry and cook for 5 minutes more.
• WHile the broth simmers, spread the baguette slices with the remaining butter. Toast in a skillet over medium heat, turning once, until golden, 5-7 minutes. Rub slices generously with garlic and set aside. Discard any remaining garlic.
• Heat broiler with rack 6" from element. Arrange 6 heatproof bowls on a foil lined baking sheet, divide onion and broth between bowls, and stir together. Place 2 baguette slices in each bowl. Top each with about 1 cup of gruyere cheese and 1/3 cup of parmigiano. Broil until cheese are browned and bubbly, 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately.

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Steps:

• Braise the short ribs: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Toss the short ribs with the flour and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the short ribs and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add the carrot, chopped onion and leek to the pot and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Return the short ribs to the pot and stir in the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, garlic and tomato paste. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, then cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and return to a simmer. Cover, transfer to the oven and braise until the short ribs are falling off the bone, 2 hours, 30 minutes to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, caramelize the onions: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, reduce the heat to low and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 2 hours, 30 minutes. (Add a splash of water and scrape up any browned bits from the pot, if necessary.)
• When the short ribs are done, remove from the broth with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and let cool slightly. Strain the broth, discarding the solids. Shred the meat, discarding the bones, and toss with 1 cup of the broth. Reserve the remaining broth.
• Add the thyme leaves and sherry to the caramelized onions. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes; add the reserved broth and cook 30 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Skim the fat from the top of the soup. Stir in the vinegar.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Divide the soup among 6 ovenproof bowls; spoon about 1/3 cup shredded meat into the center of each, then top each with 2 slices toast, trimming the bread if necessary. Top each with 2 slices cheese, letting the cheese hang over the side of the bowl. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Top with chives.