GLWhiskeyKitchen

Soups · · By Ashley

Bourdain-Inspired French Onion Soup

It starts from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles onion soup and goes heavier: dark beef stock, a little flour, a splash of bourbon, and cold butter whisked in at the very end.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr 50 min
Total
2 hr 10 min
Serves
6 to 8
Level
Medium
A crock of French onion soup under a bubbling, browned cheese crust, a glass of beer behind it

Where the time goes

2 hr 10 min

  • Hands-on
  • Hands-off
  1. 01Hands-onSlice the onions20 min
  2. 02Hands-onRender the bacon and brown the butter10 min
  3. 03Hands-onCaramelize the onions · stir now and then45 min to 1 hr
  4. 04Hands-onToast the flour and deglaze5 min
  5. 05Hands-offSimmer with the stock45 min
  6. 06Hands-onWhisk in the cold butter2 min
  7. 07Hands-onBroil the cheese tops3 to 5 min

The story

Anthony Bourdain's French onion soup from the Les Halles Cookbook is the classic. This version keeps its bones and makes it richer and heartier. Dark, gelatin-rich beef stock takes the place of his dark chicken stock, a couple of tablespoons of flour give the soup more body, and bacon and a splash of bourbon add depth.

The finish is an old French technique called monter au beurre. With the heat off, you whisk cold cubes of butter into the hot soup. Instead of melting into a greasy layer on top, the butter emulsifies into the broth and the soup turns glossy and velvety.

Cold butter, hot soup, heat off, and keep whisking.

Then it is the usual bistro ending: toasted baguette floating on top, a heavy mound of Gruyère hanging over the sides of the crock, and a few minutes under the broiler.

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

Tap an ingredient to check it off.

The base

The liquids and aromatics

The croutons and cheese

Method

Tap a step number to mark it done.

  1. Render the bacon

    Put the bacon in a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is lightly crisp. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and set it aside for later.

  2. Brown the butter

    Add 4 oz of the butter to the bacon fat and let it melt and foam until it just starts to turn light golden and smell nutty.

  3. Caramelize the onions

    Add all the onions with the sugar and a pinch of salt, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring now and then, until they have shrunk right down and turned a deep, even mahogany.

  4. Toast the flour

    Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onions and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste.

  5. Deglaze

    Turn the heat up to medium-high and pour in the port and balsamic. Scrape the bottom of the pot hard with a wooden spoon to lift all the caramelized bits, and let it bubble until reduced by half.

  6. Simmer

    Pour in the beef stock and return the bacon to the pot with the bouquet garni. Bring it to a boil, then turn it straight down to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper, and take out the bouquet garni.

  7. The butter finish

    Turn the heat off completely. Cut the remaining 2 oz of cold butter into small cubes and drop them into the soup while whisking or swirling constantly. Stir in the bourbon right after.

    Keep the soup moving and the heat off. That is what makes the butter emulsify into a glossy broth instead of floating as an oily layer.

  8. Broil and serve

    Heat the broiler. Ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks, float two toasted baguette slices on each, and mound the Gruyère on top, letting some hang over the sides. Set the crocks on a sturdy baking sheet and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Things worth knowing

  • Do not rush the onions. Deep mahogany is the goal, and it takes the full 45 minutes or more.
  • Grate the Gruyère yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has coatings that stop it melting smoothly.
  • The broiled crocks are extremely hot. Give them a few minutes before anyone digs in.

Swaps that work

  • Dark chicken stock, as in Bourdain's original, for a lighter soup.

Credits and sources

Ingredients · 2 hr 10 min · Serves 6 to 8

The base

  • 8 largeyellow onions
  • 6 oz (170 g)unsalted butter
  • 1 tspsugar
  • 2 tbspall-purpose flour
  • 4 oz (110 g)slab bacon

The liquids and aromatics

  • 2 oz (60 ml)port
  • 2 oz (60 ml)balsamic vinegar
  • 1 to 2 tbspsmall-batch bourbon
  • 2 qt (2 L)dark beef stock
  • 1bouquet garni
  • kosher salt and black pepper

The croutons and cheese

  • 1French baguette
  • 12 oz (340 g)Gruyère

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