French onion soup topped with nutty Gruyère cheese is one of the best comfort foods ever! When cooked over a live fire, the deep, rich smoky flavors and aromas are intoxicating. Sweet onion varieties such as Vidalia, Maui, or red Bermuda make the best soup. Of course, if only basic yellow onions are available, by all means use those. A pinch of sugar added during the cooking of yellow onions will bring out their natural sweetness.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8 as a main course

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　5 pounds onions, thinly sliced

　　10 cups rich chicken or beef stock

　　1/2 cup Madeira wine

　　2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

　　2 large sprigs thyme

　　1 bay leaf

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

　　2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

　　8 slices baguette, toasted

　　

Step 1

Prepare a wood-fired oven or cooker for cooking with indirect heat.

　　

Step 2

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 4-quart Dutch oven or clay pot, then add the butter to melt. Add the onions and cook over indirect heat, stirring frequently, until they soften and just begin to brown, about 40 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add 1/2 cup of the stock and move the pot to high heat. Stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot and cook until the stock has completely evaporated. Add the Madeira, Worcestershire sauce, and another 1/2 cup of the stock. Add the nutmeg and stir. Repeat, adding 1/2 cup stock and cooking until evaporated, 2 more times.

　　

Step 4

Add the remaining 8 cups of stock, the thyme, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

　　

Step 5

Bring the oven to 400°F. Ladle the soup into deep heat-resistant bowls or crocks. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the soup and place a slice of the toast on top. Sprinkle the toast with the remaining cheese. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and bake until the soup bubbles and the cheese is melted and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

　　Reprinted with permission from Wood-Fired Cooking: Techniques and Recipes for the Grill, Backyard Oven, Fireplace, and Campfire by Mary Karlin, copyright © 2009. Photography copyright © 2009 by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press.