BEEF BROTH
Ingredients
Onion 250-300 grams
Carrots 400 grams
Celery stalks 200-250 grams
Garlic 3 cloves, unpeeled
Peppercorns 10 grams
Olive oil 30 ml
Bay leaves 1 or 2
Thyme sprigs small bunch
Fresh parsley leaves and stems
Oxtail 700 grams
Beef bones 500 grams
Beef Scraps 300 grams
Water 3-5 liters
METHOD
1. Preheat your oven to 220 C. Arrange the bones and 1/2 of each vegetable in a large roasting pan to form a single layer. Roast this mixture, turning frequently, until the bones turn a walnut brown.
2. Transfer the roasted bones and vegetables to a suitable size stockpot.
3. Make a herb bouquet by tightly tying peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley into a piece of gauze.
4. De-glaze the pan. Set the pan on the large burner on the stovetop, add 2 cups of water to the pan, bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. Add the pan juices to the bones and the vegetables in the pot.
5. Add the herb bouquet and the rest of the vegetables to the pot along with enough water to cover the ingredients by at least two inches. Bring this mixture to a simmer on top of the stove. Initially, there will be a grayish scum that will rise to the top of the pot. Keep alert for this and continuously scoop it out until it no longer appears.
6. Loosely cover the pot. Continue to cook the stock at a constant slow simmer for at least 4 hours. Skim off any fat that forms on top and add a little boiling water from time to time, especially if you notice that the stock level in the pot has dropped.
7. Strain the stock through a colander into a large bowl and carefully remove any grease that rises to the surface. Strain the stock again? Through a sieve.
8. Pour the stock into a clean bowl and allow it to cool at room temperature.
9. Transfer the cooled stock into a suitable size container and refrigerate or freeze.
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FRENCH ONION SOUP
INGREDIENTS
Onions, sliced thin 750-900 grams
Onion – 150 grams
Olive Oil 60 ml
French Bread
Cognac (optional) 40 ml
Parmesan Cheese, grated (optional) 40 grams
Gruyere cheese, grated, 120 gr
Salt and Pepper
Ground Sage 1/2 tsp
Bay Leaves
White Wine 200 ml
Beef Stock 1 liter
Flour 3 Tbsp
Suga 1/2 tsp
Butter 30 gr
METHOD
-Heat a heavy, oven-safe, stockpot over medium-low heat, and add the cooking oil once the pot is hot.
-Melt the butter into the hot oil.
-Stir the sliced onions into the oil/butter mix, ensuring they are evenly coated.
-Cover the stockpot and cook for around 20 minutes checking to make sure they aren’t burning.
-Onions should be clear and very tender once finished.
-Turn up the heat to medium-high, and add the sugar and 1tsp salt.
-Continue cooking while stirring until onions are thoroughly browned (caramelized).
-Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in flour.
-Cook 2-3 minutes until flour forms a thick paste (add more butter if needed).
-Stir in 1/2 beef stock, and stir heavily for a couple seconds.
-Add the rest of the stock, wine, sage, and bay leaf.
-Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
-Pre-heat oven to 165 degrees С.
-Drizzle both sides of french bread slices with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet.
-Cook the bread in the oven for 15 minutes on each side.
-Taste the soup, and add salt and pepper as needed, then remove the bay leaf.
-Add cognac, and grated raw onion into the soup.
-Add a little bit of the Gruyere cheese to the soup, preserving most of it for the top.
-Place bread on top of the soup, generously top with Gruyere and a little bit of Parmesan for extra crunch.
-Drizzle melted butter or oil over the cheese, and place the ramekin into the oven uncovered.
-Bake for around 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
-Turn the broiler on and brown the cheese.
-Remove from oven and let stand to cool.
-Serve
Bon Appetit!
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Nutritional value for 1 serving (350 grams of Soup + 25 grams of Bread + 20 grams of Cheese):
Calories: 470
Protein: 21 grams
Fats: 34 grams
Carbs: 44 grams
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