Onion Soup with Beer and Apple Cider

I used the method and ideas from a recipe in the January/February issue of Fine Cooking, and added the apple cider and my version of cheesy bread into the mix. Please use the ratios here as a rough guideline. I’m pretty sure I varied from this as I was tasting and adjusting as I went, but this is a great starting point.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy duty pot over medium high heat until shimmering hot. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook without stirring for 5-7 minutes, until the onions on the bottom of the pot begin to brown. Sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a grind of fresh pepper and stir. Continue cooking for another or 20-30 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom frequently, until the onions are very soft and golden brown.

Then add the ale, the apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup of the apple cider to the pot. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat back down to medium, and simmer vigorously until the liquids have mostly been absorbed, and the mixture is quite thick, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the remaining apple cider, the chicken stock and the beef stock. Lower the heat and continue simmering for another 15 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler in your oven. Put the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Lightly toast them under the broiler. Then remove the pan from the oven, cover them with the cheese, and broil until cheese is bubbling and just beginning to brown.

Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup, then ladle into bowls. Top each bowl with one or two slices of the hot cheesy bread, and serve.