Deconstructed French Onion Soup

This appetizer was created several years ago during an event where we needed an abundance of food for a 500-person event. For that event, we made some traditional bruschetta and had a considerable amount of leftover crostini that we needed to use. So I decided to try something new and different. I came up with the idea of putting French onion soup on crostini and calling it a deconstructed French onion soup. I had an event that I needed to make something quickly and French for about 300. So here is the rundown.

Ingredients

French bread loaves (25 pieces per loaf)

Olive oil

10 lbs white onions, sliced thin to medium thickness

6 qrts beef stock

1-2 cups of red wine

2 tablespoons thyme

1/3 cup worcestershire

1/3 cup Kitchen Bouquet

2 bay leaves

Salt

Pepper

Preparation (90 minutes)

Sauté the onions in butter with a touch of salt and pepper until they are caramelized. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes. In a 14+ quart stock pot combine in beef stock, red wine, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire and Kitchen Bouquet and bring to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes while onions are cooking. After the onions are finished, spoon them into the soup to prevent splashing of the hot liquid. After adding the onions to the soup, let it cook for about 45 minutes to an hour. It is best when it sits overnight. Slice the bread on a bias about 3/8 inch thick. A regular-sized French bread loaf should yield about 24-26 slices. Keep the ends and use them to taste the soup. Take a sheet tray and spread out the bread slices. Brush on the olive oil with a basting brush. Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on each piece. Cook them in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Finished French onion soup

Now here is how you build the deconstructed French onion soup appetizer. Take a small stock pot and ladle just the stock into it. Take the freshly cooked crostini, and place one spoonful of the stock on each piece of crostini.

In the top right of this tray you can see the pieces that already have French Onion soup spooned on them.

After spooning the stock onto each piece, pour the leftover stock back into the stock pot. Using the spider, remove about 2 scoops of onions and place them into the small stock pot.

Cooked onions scooped out of the soup.

Now with your fingers, gently lay two or three pieces of onions on top of each piece of crostini.

Crostini with onions

Now using a micro plane, grate the Gruyere cheese pretty heavily over the top. You should complete coat the top of each piece.

Finished tray of deconstructed French Onion soup

I decided to serve this at Marie Antoinette Elbing’s funeral reception to honor French heritage.

Bon Appetit!