French Onion Soup

By Steven Biggs
Gardener, Garden Writer, Garden Coach, Horticulturist

I like to grow onions. Lots of them. Some gardeners don’t bother with too many onions, as they’re inexpensive to buy at the store. But I find that inserting onion sets (small onion bulbs) into the sloped edges of my raised bed stabilizes the edge, and makes good use of the space, where delicate plants might not perform well.

French Onion Soup is my favourite onion dish. In my opinion, the trick is to get a broth that is both rich and has a nice level of acidity (given by the cider and wine in this recipe.) One other important thing: don’t be stingy with the cheese!

French Onion Soup Recipe

• Slice lots of onions.
• Fry in butter until golden, adding a shot or two of sherry or brandy.
• Bring to boil 1 part red wine, 2 parts apple cider, 4 parts beef consommé.
• Add fried onions to liquid.
• Add lemon thyme and a bay leaf.
• Simmer for a couple hours.
• Once the soup is ready, put it in a soup crock, top with slices of stale bread and grated Emmenthal or Swiss cheese.
• Broil till the cheese is brown and bubbling.

Onions are on my list of top-10 easy-to-grow vegetable crops. Read my article about 10 easy-to-grow vegetable crops for the home garden.

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