Brrr… it’s cold in here. There must be a polar vortex in the atmosphere. (Insert foot-stomping and clapping a la Bring it On cheerleaders). Seriously. What is up with this weather? I don’t know about you but all I’m craving is soup, comfort food, cheese, and more soup.
French onion soup seems like the perfect combination of comforting flavours to battle the elements. I often see French onion soup on bistro menus but can never order, for obvious gluten-filled bread reasons. This recipe is a lightened-up version of the soup that uses chicken stock and red wine to create a rich taste, instead of the typical beef stock. I’ve recently been able to tolerate beef, so for years, I just swapped anything beef stock for chicken and haven’t gone back.
I used my trusty OXO mandoline to create thinly sliced onions. You don’t need one if you have a sharp knife and some patience/decent knife skills. I have an apartment with almost zero storage, and I realize that this mandoline takes up some precious real estate in there, but it’s worth it for me. I use mine regularly for salads, potatoes, beet chips, etc.
French onion soup is actually a lot easier to make than I originally thought it would be. I thought it would take hours to brown the onions, but it only takes about 15 minutes. After that, it’s just adding the stock and seasonings before ladling into bowls. The best part is obviously the cheesy melted Gruyere cheese on top of bread soaked into the soup, but the soup itself is full of flavour.
So here you go, a soup recipe to make your mouth happy, warm your belly, satisfy your comfort food cravings all winter long. Based on the Groundhog Day predictions, we still have lots more winter left. Stay warm and eat well.
French Onion Soup (Gluten-Free)
INGREDIENTS
- 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups thinly sliced onions (about 2 large or 3 medium onions)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Pinch of pepper
- Salt to taste
- 4 slices gluten free toast
- 6 tablespoons shredded Gruyere cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed over medium heat. Sautee onions and garlic, stirring often to prevent burning. Cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
- Add red wine and bring to boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape brown bits off the bottom of pan. Cook until almost dry.
- Add chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and pinch of pepper. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt to taste. Remove bay leaf and discard.
- Preheat broiler. Arrange slices of bread on baking sheet and sprinkle 1 ½ tablespoons of gruyere to each slice. Place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Divide soup amongst 4 bowls and top each with piece of toast.
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