Roy Choi's French Onion Soup

I saw Roy Choi show Jon Favreau how to make this on "The Chef Show" on Netflix.

Be careful to cook the onions down slowly creating more of a jam than a pile of onions. It takes about an hour to do the onions right

Use a large stock pot or 5 qt sauce pan. Coat bottom of stock pot with a layer of 

• 3 Tbsp olive oil 

and heat to medium-low. 

• 5 large yellow onions - slice in half, peel and then thinly slice across grain

Toss in an onion slice and look for active bubbling but not frying. Dump all onions into pot and increase to medium heat. Stir occasionally not allowing onions to fry or brown too quickly. This part can take an hour. Do not stir too often, some fond should form on the bottom of the pot by the time the onions are cooked. 

During this time, when onions become translucent and begin to break down add a little

• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

Continue stirring occasionally until the onions break down even more, then add 

• pat of butter. 

If liquid fats (olive oil and butter) bubble too far above the surface layer of onions, drain some of the liquid and add back to broth later. Continue stirring occasionally until onions break down to become light to medium brown and slimy. Increase heat to high. Move onions to one side and add 

• 1/2 cup brandy

to deglaze. Scrape up fond with spatula and mix into onions. Apply a light coating of 

• 2 T flour

to onions, just enough to add structure. Add 

• 2 qts beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 thyme sprigs

bring to boil. Lower to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Crispy Bread

Sourdough bread

Olive Oil

Kosher salt

Preheat oven 400 F.

Place sliced bread on baking sheet and sprinkle generously with olive oil sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake until golden brown 12-15 minutes.

Serve Soup

Toppings

Emmenthaller or baby Swiss

Gruyere

Parmesan

Place two slices of crusty bread in an oven safe bowl or tiny cast iron skillet and cover with soup leaving room at the top. Cover generously with cheese and place in oven under broiler until brown and bubbly. It helps to have wide slices of cheese that will catch the rim of the bowl and not sink into the soup, then the melted cheese will drip down the sides of the bowl.

From https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/soup-chili-and-stew/757308-roy-choi-french-onion-soup