There’s some sort of misunderstanding in many American “French” restaurants, which seem to believe that onion soup should look like pizza, overloaded with gooey cheese. The real thing—and this is it—is something else entirely; robust, flavorful, and elegant. This is as compelling a reason as there is to make your own beef stock.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

　　4 large onions, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

　　5 cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), warmed

　　2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs or a pinch of dried

　　2 or 3 fresh parsley sprigs

　　1 bay leaf

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 tablespoons cognac or other brandy, optional

　　4 croutons (page 580), made with bread slices and butter instead of oil

　　1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　

Step 1

Melt the butter in a large, deep saucepan or casserole over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and just beginning to brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Adjust the heat so they do not brown too fast but rather slowly turn into a melting mass.

　　

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the stock, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring just about to a boil. Turn down the heat so that the mixture sends up a few bubbles at a time. Add the herbs, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and cognac and cook for 15 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf and herb sprigs, if any. (You may prepare the soup in advance up to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, then reheat before proceeding.)

　　

Step 3

Place a crouton in each of 4 ovenproof bowls. Add soup and top with cheese. Place the bowls in a roasting pan or on a sturdy cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.