Beefy French Onion Soup Recipe

1      Reviews by:    Nadine Cook   Beefy French Onion Soup Recipe simmers beef shanks along with onion, carrots, peppercorns, parsley and bay leaf to form a thick broth and then adds garlic, flour and white wine to finish this tasty soup. Food Category:    Soup Cuisine Origin:    French    Servings:8 Nutrition facts:495 calories24.8 grams fat Print Preview Rate This Recipe Prep Time:   3 Hours, 20 Minutes Cook Time:   53 Minutes Total Time:   4 Hour, 13 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon salad oil
• 3 1/2 to 4 pounds beef shanks
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 5 sprigs parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 cups water
• 8 medium onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 6 thick slices French bread
• 1 cup each shredded Swiss and Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

• In a large soup kettle (at least 6-quart size), heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and all of the oil. Add beef shanks and brown well on all sides. Add chopped onion, carrots, salt, pepper, parsley, bay leaf, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 3 hours, until broth is richly flavored.
• Strain broth into a large bowl. When meat is cool enough to handle, cut into chunks and return it, with marrow from bones, to broth; discard vegetables and bones. Chill soup; skim off fat. (This much can be done 1 to 2 days ahead.)
• In the same large soup kettle, heat remaining 5 tablespoons butter. Add sliced onions, cover, and cook until limp, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until onions brown lightly, about 30 minutes longer. (Reduce heat if onions become too brown.) Stir in garlic and flour. Cook and stir until bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in about 4 cups of the broth.
• Return to heat; mix in remaining broth with beef; add wine. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until ready to serve. Salt to taste.
• Meanwhile, place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 250°F oven. Toast until bread is very dry and barely browned (about 30 minutes).
• Sprinkle about 1/3 cup of the mixed cheeses over each toast slice.
• To serve, ladle soup into heatproof bowls. Top each with a cheese-and- toast slice. Place under broiler, about 5 inches from heat, until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

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