French Onion Soup question.

I've developed a recipe for an low sodium onion soup that was based on Tylers Ultimate featuring French Onion soup. In converting this to low sodium I have omited the bread and cheese that it was served with but have retained the flour. My question is what makes French onion soup "French"? Is it the flour or the bread and cheese that make it considered French. I don't know if I should refer to my soup as French onion or just onion soup. Which is it? BTW I've added a whole lot of fresh thyme to mine. If anyone is interested in a low sodium onion (or French onion) soup with lots of flavor and very little sodium, let me know and I will post it.

some say it is because the original recipe called for French bread to be toasted in the oven and then placed on top of the soup and it was developed in France

soups from the middle ages were made this way so that the bread could sop up the broth and French onion soup is reminicent of that

Then mine is not French but low sodium onion soup which is fine. Thanks Mama.

Onion soup is onion soup to me - the Romans and the Greeks had their own version of French onion - to me - it's just onion soup. Even modified for a special diet - it's still onion soup - and it's good! It doens't have to be French to be good.

Oh I knew it was good. I just didn't know what the proper name for it was. I knew I had made it from modifying Tylers Ultimate French onion soup and I don't care what it is called. Onion soup is easier to say anyway.

you got that right! I love onion soup - even if I don't have the bread and cheese on it.

Here it is anyway "Low sodium Onion soup"

((((Onion Soup))))
From Tylers Ultimate on the Food Network and altered for lower sodium

2 large or 3 medium onions, chopped (9.6) 2 Tbs lime juice (0)
3 Tbs flour (1) 2 Tbs Sherry or Red wine (0)
7 cups sodium free beef broth (35) 2 Tbs Unsalted butter or olive oil (0)
2 bay leafs (2) 2 tsp minced garlic (0)
4 fresh thyme sprigs (0) 2 tsp salt substitute (0)

You may need to begin with 4 cups broth and add the other 3 later in a 3 qt pan
You can add a small amount of chopped celery or carrot to the onion also

Saute the onions and garlic in the oil until browned ( maybe 25 minutes). Dust with the flour, stir and cook until its starting to stick to the bottom. Add the broth then the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 more minute. Remove the Thyme stems and the bay leaves. You can run about a cup of the mixture through a blender and return to the pot to thicken it more. The taste comes from the garlic, onion and thyme. 47.6 mg whole recipe.

My copy and paste sort of runs everything together when the original was a double line for ingredients.
I no longer blend any to make it thicker since I reduced the broth from 8 to 7 cups and increased the flour from 2 to 3 Tbs. I keep this on hand a lot its one side dish I can have with any meal and not worry about sodium.

Also, some early versions of French Onion Soup used Cognac instead of wine. And Cognac of course is distilled grape brandy from the Cognac region of France...

The Ironic Chef said:

You're recipe looks great and to me most onion soups taste way to salty to begin with. I would suggest not using flour and go with cornstarch for a thickener. Maybe that way you can use a few sour dough croutons and some Alpine Lace low sodium swiss cheese to keep it more traditional.

Click to expand...

I made a loaf of low sodium french bread today so I will use it in that soup. And I might try the cornstarch in the next batch.

I don't use a thickener in French Onion Soup?? Also, I cook onions to the point they are dark brown and carmelized--about 1 1/2 hours--this also thickens soup.

At work when I am cooking breakfast I start them on the stovetop in a cast iron Dutch oven, put in oven, pull them out several times to stir. On another forum several people do them overnight in a slow cooker.

Kevin, what is your method?
Nan

Mine isn't think at all- more a thin brothy-style soup. If anything, the crouton breaks down a bit from soaking in the broth and perhaps it adds a bit of body to the soup- but not a lot. And like you nan, I slowly caramelize the onions a long, long time- until their richly dark and nutty tasting.

Gee, I've sauted them for about 20 minutes and just got the normal yellowing. Next time I've will give them 1 1/5 hours. The reason for all the thyme and garlic is to kick some flavor into it. BTW the thyme is fresh that I've been able to grow in a 10" pot. I hope it makes it through the winter. I just toss a bunch of stems in the pot and fish them out when finished.

just keep the heat low and stir so they don't burn, you will be amazed. you can do them in a roasting pan or dutch oven in the oven if you don't have time to stir often. or try the crock pot method.

you will be amazed at the flavor.

Nan