French onion soup (veggie version)

French onion soup is a rich and classic soup. Traditionally, it is made of beef broth, caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese and white wine. I have tweaked it to suit the Indian plate using mushroom broth instead of beef. The sweetness of the caramelized onions, the earthiness of the mushrooms and the bubbly cheese make it my favourite.

Ingredients

Butter - 1 stick

Onions - 4 (large)

Vegetable broth - 2 cups

Mushroom stock - 2 cups

Garlic - 3 cloves (minced)

Vinegar - 1 tbsp

French Bread Or Baguette

Cheese

Steps

1. Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed pot. Add onions and stir them so that they get covered in the butter. Cook the onions on medium heat for 30 - 40 minutes on medium or low heat till they turn very tender and brown. It is very important that you keep stirring during the cooking process so that the onions won’t stick to the pot and burn. Also, scrape off the brown bits from the pan once in a while. The taste lies in these little brown bits.

2. Meanwhile, you can prepare mushroom broth by boiling them with some butter and water.

3. Now add the vegetable and mushroom broth to the pot and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cut slices from the french bread roll and butter them. Heat them over a pan so that they brown a little and are crisp.

5. Pour some soup into a microwave-safe bowl. Put a piece of the bread on top and sprinkle grated cheeseon it. Broil in the oven until cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Meal Today: French onion soup

Tips

You can first let the onions cook in the oven in a partially covered pot, then put in on a stovetop and cook in the broth.