I grew up in St. Louis and come from a large family so we did not eat out much. Forget the expense of taking 6 kids out; it was the hassle that I’m sure was behind that uneventfulness. So, when I was old enough to drive and buy my own meals, it was fun to discover some great meals that did not break the pocket book of a young girl. One favorite was always the onion soup at Famous & Barr.
It was the best deal in town; a bowl of yummy soup covering a thick slab of browned French bread and then covered with melted cheese and broiled til the cheese melted. Just makes my mouth water thinking of it now! As a young woman, I worked for Western Electric (eventually AT&T) in an office building in Clayton, MO. It was sort of a mini downtown area but more upscale and I loved working there. My friends and I would go somewhere different to lunch each day, but not a week went by that one of those trips wasn’t to the Famous store in Clayton for this lunch. How long ago; hmm, think lunch was about $1.25!
Somehow this recipe was leaked to the local paper and it was published in the St. Louis Post Dispatch many years ago. Although it is certainly edible the day it is made, it is well worth planning and letting it sit overnight as the flavors have time to meld together and it is a significantly better dish!
Ingredients
3 lbs. med white onions
1/2 C butter
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
3/4 C flour
8 cans beef broth
1 C white wine
16 oz. Gruyère cheese (can substitute Swiss)
1 French Baquette, sliced
Slice onions 1/8" thick. Sauté in butter over low heat for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Add seasonings up to and including flour. Mix well, add broth and wine. Simmer 2 hours. Add kitchen bouquet for coloring, if desired.
Refrigerate overnight. Turn on oven to broil.
Before serving – Brown bread slices and heat soup. Layer soup, then bread, then cheese in ovenproof bowls.
Broil until cheese melts; 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully. Let cool for a couple of minutes before eating!
