Cooking

I've mentioned that I intend to cook two or three 'authentic' French dishes while our guests are here next summer, so that they don't have an entire diet of Les Hamburgeurs, Le Chili, et Le MacNChiz. To that end, I'm making Onion Soup, today. I have never made it before. My daughter walked into the kitchen, sniffed the air, and announced that it stank, and there was no way she was going to eat it.

I'm also going to make several different kinds of cookies over the next three months from the Martha Stewart Cookies collection, so that I can package some up and send them to their home for Christmas.

Yes, I really want them to like us.
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Onion Soup SERVES 6 TO 8

3 tablespoons butter
l 1/2 pounds onions (5 to 6 medium),halved and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
9 cups beef stock, homemade or canned (see chart), or water
1 tablespoon Cognac
1/2 pound Swiss-style cheese, such as Gruyere or Emmentaler, grated
(about 2 cups)

1. In a large saucepan or 5-quart Dutch oven, melt the butter.
Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until well browned. They will start to brown in 10 to 12 minutes.
After another 20 to 25 minutes the onions should be dark brown, not black.
Season with the salt and pepper.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the flour.
Brown lightly, stirring, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil, about 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.
Skim off any foam or butter that comes to the surface.
(The recipe can be prepared ahead to this point. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to a simmer before proceeding.)

4. Just before serving, add the Cognac. Pass the cheese separately.


BRAND RATIO OF BROTH TO WATER (REGULAR STRENGTH)

BEEF STOCK

Progresso Beef Broth 1 to 3
Swanson Fat-Free Beef Broth 1 to 3
College Inn Low-Sodium Beef Broth 1 to 3
Campbell's Beef Broth 1 to 6

CHICKEN STOCK

Swanson Chicken Broth 1 to 3
Campbell's Chicken Broth 1 to 4
College Inn Chicken Broth 1 to 2
College Inn Light & Fat-Free Chicken Broth 1 to 1