French Onion Soup with coconut cream



Ingredients

  • 5 yellow onions / Vidalia
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (plus 3 tablespoons for toasting the baguettes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon black vinegar**
  • 1/4 cup Kara UHT Coconut Cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 fresh baguette
  • 100-150g Gruyere cheese**

For the Beef Broth:

  • 500g oxtail
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 yellow onion / Vidalia
  • 2 cloves of garlic (optional)
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 8 cups water
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Add all ingredients for the beef broth** into a stock pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Lower the heat, simmer partially covered for about 1 hour. Remove any soup scum that appears on top of the simmering broth. Add more water as needed.
  3. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, from root to stem. Then begin to slice** the onion uniformly about ¼-inch in thickness.
  4. Heat olive oil and 3 tablespoons of butter on medium heat in a large, thick-bottomed pot or saucepan. Add the sliced onions and toss well to coat uniformly.
  5. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, until softened and turn lightly golden in colour; about 10 minutes.
  6. Add sugar and a large pinch of salt. Increase the heat to medium-high. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized and become brown; about 20 to 30 minutes. Add the flour and stir for another minute.
  7. Strain the beef broth and pour into the caramelized onions. Add black vinegar and simmer again briefly.
  8. Add Kara UHT Coconut Cream, stir briskly and simmer for another minute. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat.
  9. Preheat oven to 200 degC (400 degF) for toasting the baguette.
  10. Slice the baguette at an angle into 1-inch thick, elongated slices. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Brush both sides of each slice with softened unsalted butter.
  11. Place in the oven and toast till slightly crisp. Flip over the pieces and toast the other side as well. Remove the toasted slices from the oven.
  12. Switch the oven to the broiler setting and leave the oven door slightly open.
  13. Ladle the soup into 4 small soup bowls, or two larger, deep soup bowls.
  14. Top with one or two slices of toasted baguette and pile on the cheese.
  15. Place the bowls back in the oven under the broiler, until the cheese melts.
  16. Ready to be served.

Notes:

  • May replace black vinegar with Balsamic vinegar. For another acidic note, may add a little tomato paste (1 teaspoon) which is unconventional.
  • Gruyere is the perfect mild, sweet, and slow melting cheese for this recipe. May substitute Gruyere with any other Swiss cheese, Comté, Provolone, Fontina, Gouda, Raclette, Jarlsberg, and milder Cheddar.
  • Mozzarella blisters too easily and is greasier once melted, so may not be the perfect substitute for Gruyere.
  • Using beef broth is traditional method, may also use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
  • Options of slicing onions:
    • Option 1: Cut the onion in half lengthwise, from root to stem. Following the grain, begin to slice, using the long stripes on the onion as a guide. This method helps to yield firm pieces with a milder flavour – fewer cell walls are ruptured, thereby releasing fewer sulfur molecules.
    • Option 2: Cut the onion in half lengthwise, from root to stem. Begin to slice crosswise, horizontally against the grain, which yields perfect arched pieces. This method helps to yield softer pieces with a more intense flavour – more cell walls are ruptured that releasing more sulfur molecules.
  • The key to making the best onion soup lies in the caramelizing process on medium heat till golden brown, and never burnt.

Source & Credits: https://www.youtube.com/c/RecipesaresimpleVideos


Related Recipes