French Onion Soup In Cast Iron Cauldrons

by | May 24, 2019 | Cast Iron Dutch Oven Recipes, Recipes, Soups, stews, Chili

French Onion Soup

French onion soup is a scrumptious lead in to whatever main dish you serve. Good hearty onion broth and a cheesy top are mainstays for this delightful soup. We’ve infused plenty of onions into this broth. And a good cheese topping browned under the broiler.  Patterned after a recipe from Dean & Deluca’s Cookbook yielded a soup you won’t  find anywhere but home. Take your time with this one, and you’ll have the best French Onion Soup ever.

Procurement notes

The ultimate destination of French Onion Soup is in the oven under the broiler to melt the cheese. With that in mind, use broiler safe serving bowls to finish the soup. In this case we used Lodge 1 Pt. cauldrons to prep and serve. Just a nice touch for an elegant soup.We also use them for our clam chowder. Another item you might be interested in is a mandolin for slicing the onions.  We included links in the recipe for the equipment used in the preparation of the soup. So get those pots out and have at it.

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

French Onion Soup In Cast Iron Cauldrons

If, like myself, you're a lover of French Onion Soup, then this recipe is for you. What you get as typical restaurant fare just doesn't do this great soup justice. Lot's of onion and a Cognac infused broth make is must try. We served this great soup in mini cast iron cauldrons for easy serving. Like any good soup, it takes some time to prepare properly. You won't be disappointed. Promise.
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CourseSoup
CuisineFrench
KeywordFrench, Onion, Soup
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Servings4 people
Calories430kcal

Equipment

Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Lodge 1 Pt. Cauldron
Wooden spoons
Zyliss Mandolin

Ingredients

  • 2 lb onions Slivered
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 3.5 cups Beef Stock Boiling
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup Cognac
  • 1.5 teaspoons Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
  • 16 slices mediumFrench Baguette Sliced thick
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese Use the good stuff.
  • 10 oz Mozzarella Cheese Sliced thick

Instructions

  • In a large pot, bring beef stock to a simmer. Pre-heat an oven to 400 degrees.
  • Melt Butter in a 5 qt Cast Iron Dutch Oven over a medium heat. Add the onion and sugar, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the onions are brown and caramelized. About 20 minutes or until well caramelized, not burnt. Bring the stock to a boil.
  • Add the flour into the onion mixture and incorporate well. Slowly add the boiling beef stock, water, 3 tbsp. Cognac, salt, and pepper, and bring mixture to a boil for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes.
  • Uncover, have a taste, adjust the seasoning with a bit more salt or pepper to taste, and add the remaining tbsp. of Cognac. Continue to simmer while preparing the finishing.
  • While the soup is simmering, toast the bread slices in the oven about 5 minutes per side. They should be well toasted.
  • Place the cauldrons on a sturdy cookie sheet and arrange the bread on top. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and arrange mozzarella to cover the top.
  • Turn the broiler on and place cauldrons in oven till cheese has melted and has a nice brown color. Remove and using tongs to pick up the handles, transfer to serving plate. Serve immediately.

Notes

Notes
1) The original recipe calls for brie on the top. We stuck with mozzarella just out of tradition.
2) If you've never used cast iron to cook in be forewarned that while it takes a little longer to heat, when it's hot it stays hot. Things happen a lot faster so keep an eye on what you're cooking. Be extremely careful removing the cauldrons from the broiler to avoid burns. A good set of wooden spoons goes great with cooking in cast iron.
3) If you're used to the French Onion Soup served in most restaurants which is usually a few onions at the bottom of bowl with broth on top this might not be for you. We
picked it because it was a thick, rich standalone dish we could serve up with a salad on the side.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
French Onion Soup In Cast Iron Cauldrons
Amount Per Serving
Calories 430 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.01g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 67mg22%
Sodium 2104mg91%
Potassium 69mg2%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 650IU13%
Vitamin C 17.3mg21%
Calcium 790mg79%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.