Two PATHS to FRENCH ONION SOUP What’s French onion soup doing in a book of American food, you might ask? Here’s the answer: my goal is to wean you off of those little packets of powdered brown stuff to show you that with science at your side, making real caramelized onions, and French onion soup, is not nearly as time-consuming or difficult as you think! There is certainly no shortage of recipes for French onion soup out there, and the general method begins with the same basic technique: cook down finely sliced onions over low, low heat so their natural sugars slowly and evenly caramelize Once the onions are completely broken down to a deep brown, jam-like consistency, just add stock, a splash of sherry, and a couple of aromatics, simmer it down, season with a bit of salt and pepper, and serve with cheesy croutons It’s a simple process, and the results are infinitely better than any commercial version, but it’s a major pain in the cul All that slow caramelizing takes a good 3 to 4 hours of constant pot babysitting Let it go just a bit too long or step away for 5 minutes, and you’ve burnt your onions, making the final product too bitter to use As with exercise and marriage, I often think about how great it’d be if there were a method that could deliver the exact same (or better!) results without the massive time commitment The bad news? After several months (OK, years) of testing, and more than fifty pounds of onions later, I’ve discovered that there isn’t really a perfect substitute for traditional caramelizing The good news? You can get 90 percent of the way there in about 10 percent of the time That’s a pretty decent exchange rate Here are the basics Seeking Sweetness First, it’s important to understand exactly what’s going on when an onion browns ...years) of testing, and more than fifty pounds of onions later, I’ve discovered that there isn’t really a perfect substitute for traditional caramelizing The good news? You can get 90 percent of the way there in about 10 percent of the time That’s a pretty decent exchange rate... of the way there in about 10 percent of the time That’s a pretty decent exchange rate Here are the basics Seeking Sweetness First, it’s important to understand exactly what’s going on when an onion browns