This week, we’re sharing a French onion soup recipe from McKendrick’s Steak House in Dunwoody. The French onion soup is one of McKendrick’s most popular appetizers.
“French Onion Soup has always been a steakhouse classic,” said Anthony Casiello, operating partner of McKendrick’s. “Its origins go back to France, where workers made it with simple ingredients–caramelized onions and rich broth–for something hearty and satisfying.”
You can source most of the ingredients at a grocery store, but McKendrick’s executive chef Brent Ross recommends going to a local farmers market, or places like Buford Highway Farmers Market or Your Dekalb Farmers Market. And you can also use whatever bread you have at home instead of purchasing a baguette.
While McKendrick’s makes the veal jus in-house, you can find jus at grocery stores or farmers markets. “However, you can also substitute beef stock fortified with beef bouillon, or add a little extra wine and let it reduce to intensify the flavor,” Ross said.
If you’ve never made French onion soup before, Ross has one rule: Be patient when caramelizing those onions. “It takes time to develop the flavors, and that is where the magic happens,” he said.
More recipes from the Rough Draft archives
Yields around 3 quarts (8 to 10 servings)
Ingredients
- 1/4 lb unsalted butter
- 3 lbs onions, julienned (yellow preferably)
- 1 cup red wine, such as Burgundy or Cabernet
- 1/4 gallon veal jus
- 1/2 gallon chicken stock
- 1/2 Tbsp Dried thyme
- 1/2 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 Tbsp coarse ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup port wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 baguette
- Shredded gruyere cheese
- Sliced Swiss cheese
Directions
- Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add butter and onions. Sauté until well caramelized.
- Add red wine and cook until almost dry, reduced about 3/4 of its size.
- Add in the jus and stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Add salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add port. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- While soup is cooking, slice baguette into 1/4-inch thick slices to make croutons. Cook baguette slices at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Portion soup into an oven-safe bowl or dish. Place two croutons on top of soup, building a raft for the cheese.
- Place two slices of Swiss cheese on top of croutons. Top with a few ounces of shredded gruyere.
- Transfer bowl(s) to oven. Broil until cheese is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool before serving.