Anthony Bourdain: French Onion

Directions

• In the large pot, heat the butter over medium heat until it is melted and begins to brown.

• Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softed and browned. Onion soup, unsurprisingly, is all about the onions. Make damn sure the onions are a nice, dark, even brown color.

• Increase the heat to medium high and stir in the port and the vinegar, scraping all that brown goodness from the bottom of the pot into the liquid.

• Add the chicken stock, bacon, and bouquet gardi. Bring to a boil.

• Reduce to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, skimming any foam off the top withy the ladle.

• Remove the bouquet garni.

• When the soup is finished cooking, ladle it into the individual crocks.

• Float two croutons side by side on top of each.

• Spread a generous, even heaping amount of cheese over the top of the soup. You want some extra to hang over the edges, as the crispy, near-burnt stuff that sticks to the outer sides of the crocks once it comes out from under the heat is often the best part.

• Place each crock under a preheated, rip-roaring broiler until the cheese melts, bubbles, browns, and even scorches slightly in spots. The finished cheese should be a panorama of molten brown hues ranging from golden brown to dark brown to a few black spots where the cheese blistered and burned. Serve immediately and carefully. You don’t know pain until you’ve spilled one of these things in your lap.

• {“If your broiler is too small or too weak to pull this off, you can try it in a preheated 425°F/220°C oven until melted. A nice optional move”=>”Once the mound of grated cheese starts to flatten out in the oven, remove each crock and, with a propane torch, blast the cheese until you get the colors you want.”}