Facts About French onion soup
French onion soup is a type of soup usually based on meat stock and onions, and often served gratinéed with croutons and cheese on top of a large piece of bread. Although ancient in origin, the dish underwent a resurgence of popularity in the 1960s in the United States due to a greater interest in French cuisine. French onion soup may be served as a meal in itself or as a first course.
History
Onion soups have been popular at least as far back as Roman times. Throughout history, they were seen as food for poor people, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow. The modern version of this soup originates in Paris, France in the 18th century, made from beef broth, and caramelized onions.
It was introduced to the United States by the New York restaurant of Henri Mouquin in 1861, where his wife Marie Julie Grandjean Mouquin was the chef. It is often finished by being placed under a salamander in a ramekin with croutons and Comté melted on top. The crouton on top is reminiscent of ancient soups (see history of soup).
Preparation
Recipes for onion soup vary greatly:
Though the liquid is usually meat stock, it may be simply water. Milk may be added. It may be thickened with eggs or flour. It may be gratinéed or not.
Generally, recipes specify that the onions should be cooked slowly, becoming caramelized. Brandy or sherry is added at the end. The soup base is often topped with a slice of bread (a "croute" or "crouton").
For the gratinéed version, the croute is topped with cheese and broiled or baked. The soup is then immediately served in the bowl or ramekin in which it was broiled (grilled), baked, or—in family-style—immediately transferred to individual serving bowls via a ladle.
Alternative names
Some alternative names for the soup include:
- Soupe à l'oignon à la Parisienne
- Gratinée Parisienne
- Gratinée des Halles
- Gratinée Lyonnaise
- Soupe à l'oignon Lyonnaise
- Soupe à l'oignon Gratinée
Spain