Appetizer

French Onion Soup with a Gruyere Cheese Souffle

Yield: Serves 4

Chef: Josh Anderson



French Onion Soup with a Gruyere Cheese Souffle by Chef Josh Anderson

Ingredients

  • 4 T. unsalted butter
  • 2 lbs. (about 4 large) onions, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ c. dry sherry
  • 6 c. chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp.   thyme leaves
  • 1½ tsp. kosher salt
  • to taste black pepper
  • to taste sugar
  • to taste lemon juice
  • 6 toasted croutons

Gruyère soufflé batter:

  • 4 egg whites, room temperature
  • 6 T. Gruyère cheese, grated

Preparation

  1. To make the French onion soup, place a medium size pot over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-caramelized, about 30-35 minutes. Add a little water to the pot as needed to keep the browned bits from getting too dark. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Turn heat to medium-high and deglaze the pot with the sherry, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until the sherry is reduced almost dry. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, and salt. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Taste soup and adjust seasoning with pepper, sugar, and lemon juice.
  2. For the final soup preparation, preheat oven to 400°F. Place soup bowls on a sheet tray, lined with parchment or a silpat. Warm soup and make sure soufflé batter is just warm and in a large metal bowl. In a stand mixer on medium speed, or in a metal bowl with a whisk, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of the egg whites. Repeat with the remaining egg whites. Ladle hot onion soup into bowls filling ¾ full. Top with 1 crouton and then 1 T. grated Gruyère cheese. Scoop ½ cup of soufflé batter on top of each crouton. Place sheet tray in oven and bake until the soufflé has risen and is golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Pair with our Chardonnay Reserve