First of all let me start off by saying YEAH WOHOOO GO CANUCKS!!!! IN YOUR FACE SHARKS!!!!
And now that that's out of my system I want to apologize for the less than stellar picture, but seeing as it's a French onion soup and grilled cheese for lunch on this lesson it's hard to have a pristine plate with the cheese melting to the bowl.
This lesson was to teach basic knife skills as well as recipe and cook times.
For the soup:
5 sliced large yellow onions
handful of thyme
2 bay leaves
3 litres of beef stock
2 cups of red wine
for the top:
slices of bread
grated smoked Guyere cheese
The first thing you need to do is put your oven on too preheat at 400 and move one rack to the second last placement. While the oven is heating up put all your sliced onions into deep pot heated to medium with oil. Sweat your onions off until they are soft and pliable then turn it up to a higher temperature so you can caramelize them properly, the best is a golden-dark brown. Now is a good time to throw in your thyme and bay leaves. Stir in your aromatics for at least 5 minutes before you pour in your wine. Let the wine reduce by half then pour in all your beef stock and season to taste then let simmer for about 1/2 an hour stirring every 3-5 minutes.
With the bread you'll be making croutons so cut the bead to fit into the top of your bowl then place on a cooking sheet and sprinkle olive oil and salt on them. Place in the oven until dry and slightly golden brown. After you remove them from the oven turn it onto broil so you can melt your cheese.
Now that you have everything ready make your grilled cheese !! I personally use Applewood smoked cheddar. Make this about 5 minutes before the soup is read to come out of the pot and just lightly colour both sides of the grilled cheese then place on the bottom rack of the oven.
What you should do now is ladle your soup out into bowls according to your preferred portion size, place a crouton on top each one and then cover with a generous amount of Guyere cheese then place in the oven on the top rack while it's on broil too melt the cheese, them take it out as soon as it's fully melted but use a dry towel as the bowl with be very hot.
Right as your placing the soup/s/ in the oven you should be taking out your grilled cheese.Cut your grilled cheese and place on the plate, then put the soup on the plate after it comes out as well and enjoy !!!!!!
I love french onion soup so much because it's such a traditional thing, so simple and beautiful also such classic that I cant help but enjoy !!! Actually I think I'm going to make some more right now, so this is your chef saying have a good one !! and wishing you all great food !
