Howdy,

OK first of all, I know this is a blog about BBQ and I probably could have cooked this soup on the Big Green Egg seeing as how I have cooked other soups on the Egg before, however, tonight I just cooked indoors.

I used to think that I made a pretty good French Onion soup, that is until tonight! I decided that I wanted to try making Julia Child’s French Onion Soup recipe from her classic book Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

So I started out by making a cocktail. Just a simple Brandy & Seven.

I also did something I don’t do too often, which is actually follow a recipe. I did that tonight for the most part with 2 exceptions. First, I added a couple cans of beef consomme in addition to the beef broth in order to add a deeper more intense beef flavour since it was not a home made beef stock. And second, I used Gouda cheese curds that we brought back from Quebec and mozza for the top when baking the soup.

Now I am not going to give you the recipe. It is copyrighted material, but everyone should have Mastering the Art of French Cooking! Seriously, it is a classic cookbook with so many great instructions and recipes. If you don’t have it, go get it!!!

That said, here is what I did in pictures.

First I melted some butter along with some olive oil in a cast iron dutch oven.

I then added the onions and cooked them covered for 15 minutes on medium

At which point I added salt and sugar and turned the heat up to medium high, stirring often, until the onions were caramelized.

I then heated the beef broth in another pot, bringing it to a boil, while at the same time adding some flour to the onions and cooking it down a little more before adding the broth to the onion pot along with 1/4 cup of white wine.

I then simmered the soup for about another 40 minutes.

In the mean time I made some crostinis by slicing some French bread and baking at 325F. At half way through I rubbed them with some fresh garlic, drizzled some olive oil and hit them with some S&P before putting them back into the oven for 15 more minutes.

Then the soup was finally finished and turned the oven broiler on while I made the soup bowls up.

I started with a crostini at the bottom of each bowl, then topped it with Quebec Gouda curds

The soup went in next. I put some brandy in mine (as the recipe calls for) but Jackie doesn’t like brandy so I left it out for her.

Next came the mozza topping and then into the oven under the broiler

I didn’t time this, just kept an eye on it and when the cheese was getting crisp and brown it was done!

This was definitely the BEST French Onion Soup I have made and possibly one of the best ones I have actually had!!! I really liked my additions to the recipe as the beef consomme added to the depth of the soup and the cheese curds gave it a nice gooey cheesy texture.

It just goes to show, that at over 50 years old, some recipes are timeless!!!
Brian