French Onion Soup with Crostini

We don't like soggy bread in our beloved French onion soup! So today, we have for you, a French onion soup with crostini. This rich, savory soup of slowly caramelized onion, silky butter and beef broth is served with a crostini of melted gruyere, browned mushrooms (optional) and fresh thyme on the side!

We recommend pairing with our 2020 Chardonnay Grand Klasse Reserve.

French Onion Soup with Crostini

Suggested wine pairing: 2020 Chardonnay Grand Klasse

Serves: 4-6

Recipe by Tanya Miller

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 onions (2½ -3 lbs) - yellow or white or a combo of both; not the sweet variety

• 1 quart beef stock

• 1 quart chicken stock

• 4 Tbsp butter, divided 

• Olive oil

• 2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon

• ~ ½ c Chardonnay (or dry white wine of choice), or a bit more to taste

• ~ 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• ½ baguette, sliced

• 6-8 oz Gruyere cheese, grated

• 3 cloves garlic - reserve one for baguettes

• ½ pkg of sliced mushrooms - optional but delish!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice onions about 1/8 inch thick with a knife or mandolin.

2. Heat a Dutch oven or a heavy bottom pan over med heat. Add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil to pan. When butter foams, add onions and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and saute for about 30 min or until deep golden brown. You may need to turn the temp down a bit, depending on your stove. Add garlic in the last few minutes so it doesn’t burn. Add pepper, to taste

3. Deglaze with wine and scrape brown bits from bottom of pan. Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves and 2 Tbsp bouillon. Simmer for about 30 min or until the flavor develops to your liking.

4. While the soup simmers, saute mushrooms in remaining butter and or olive oil until golden brown. Salt them with a bit of salt and pepper and feel free to toss in a little more thyme - it’s delicious with mushrooms too.

5. Broil the slices of baguette on both sides. Watch carefully and turn after a min or two. When they are toasted to your liking, remove from oven and rub with a clove of garlic while still warm, if desired. When the soup is done, ladle it into an oven safe dish and top both the soup and bread with cheese (and mushrooms if using). Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is nice and bubbly. 

6. Remove from oven, cool a few minutes, serve, and enjoy with a beautiful glass of Chardonnay!

NOTE: If you don't have an oven safe dish, just place the bread back on the sheet tray and broil it.