Family Onion Soup with Bread by Jerry Rutledge

By Jerry Rutledge

I am always amazed when I ponder how God’s generosity and abundance is everywhere (Isaiah 55:10-11).God’s people in the wilderness desired onion stew when they had lost their strength and dried up from hunger. God mercifully sent them mana as bread to eat (Numbers 11:5-6). Jesus invites me to remember God nourishes my life physically and spiritually (Luke 22:19, Luke 24:25-32). For our family, Jesus has become the gift of St. Paul’s faith community as bread to strengthen our hearts (Psalm 104:15), a grace from God that is the true bread from heaven (John 6:32-39). Jesus teaches me that when I share a meal as an act of goodwill in my home, I am following Jesus’ teaching as an active prayer for the grace of a glad and generous heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all people in my community (Acts 2:46-47, Mark 8:17-21).

With gratitude, we hope you will enjoy our family recipe, that is, our onion soup with bread meal that God has let us remember.

Onion Soup with Bread

Ingredients:

3 pounds yellow onions or a mix of yellow and red (about 6 large)

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt divided

1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth (can be omitted if desired)

8 cups unsalted beef stock*

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp brandy OR 1 tbsp dry sherry

6 (1-inch thick) slices of French bread or baguette

1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (about 6 oz)

Chopped chives (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Remove onion peels and halve onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices.

Melt butter in a deep pot on medium-high heat. Place cut onions in pot and cook until soft (about 8 minutes). Stir in 1/2 tsp of salt and reduce heat to medium-low to caramelize onions.

Stir onions until they are a golden-brown color (about 45 minutes). Add a bit of water as needed to prevent onions from sticking to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot as needed.

Deglaze the pot: Increase heat to medium-high and add wine (or the stock instead if omitting the wine). Add stock, bay leaf, pepper, and remaining 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a hard boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the brandy. Taste and adjust the seasoning (possibly add a bit more salt) and remove the bay leaf.

While simmering, make the toasted bread: Place a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet and toast on the upper rack until light brown (about 5-7 minutes). Set it aside.

Before serving, sprinkle the bread with 1/4 cup of the cheese. Return to the oven and toast until the cheese is melted and golden (about 2-3 minutes).

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a bread slice. Sprinkle on green chives for color if desired.

Note: Substitute cheeses for Gruyère include American, Swiss Cheese, Comté, and Emmental. You may make the onion soup vegan by using vegetable stock instead of beef stock and vegan butter and vegan Gouda.