Soups: Part 2

Onion soup

First we will look at a great favorite, onion soup, and see just how it is prepared. Here's what it takes to make onion soup: Onions, and flavor builders [thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, clove, bay leaf] make easy, inexpensive, flavorful clear soup. The onions are cut julienne.

[Figure 7-1] Onion Soup Recipe and Structure

Major Flavor = 1 Kg onions julienne Body = 3 L dark stock Flavor Builders in Sachet = [1/4 bay leaf, 1/2 clove, 3-4 peppercorns, pinch rosemary, pinch thyme] * Seasonings * Butter *

Basic ratio: 1 KG onions / 3 L stock

1. Melt *enough butter to cover the bottom of a pot to a depth of 1/8" and cook onions with sachet over moderate heat until onions are golden.

2. Add stock and simmer until onions have thoroughly flavored stock and are cooked through but still retain their shape.

3. Remove sachet and season soup *to taste.

Here, by adding a flavor-determining ingredient and some supporting herbs and spices to the stock, we have created another soup. It is a simple soup because of the limited number of ingredients. Yet even the simplest soup requires a certain skill ... to produce the flavor, texture, aroma, and appearance the diner expects.

As you can see from the recipe, the structure of the soup is simple. The onions provide the major flavor and the stock provides the body. Onions and stock together create an interesting texture that is thin yet has substance. The flavor-building herbs and spices enhance the major flavor without intruding their own tastes. You tie them in a piece of cheesecloth to make a sachet so that you can remove them before serving the soup.

To cut the onions julienne you cut the peeled onions in half lengthwise and slice them thin. As they cook, the layers will separate into individual strips. The onions should be cooked long enough to caramelize the sugar in them so that they are golden throughout, but there should be no dark-brown edges. Nor should they be overcooked in the simmering. They should be tender but still retain their shape. This may take anywhere from 45 seconds to 45 minutes depending on the quantity and other variables.

The seasonings should bring out the maximum flavor of the ingredients. A well-made onion soup is clear and flavorful with a rich, appetizing aroma.

You can turn a simple soup into another simple soup by topping it with a special crouton a slice of bread with a butter-cheese spread baked or broiled until crisp and brown or you can turn a basic soup into a more sophisticated soup by adding special flavorings, as shown in the next article recipes 7-1a and 7-1b.

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