Last week, I got an email from somewhere with the headline “Instant Pot Soups!”
Hmmm…
I love me some French onion soup, and never really considered trying it in the Instant Pot; but the timing, the weather, and the fact that it all gets done in one appliance – well, except for the bread – looked too, too good not to try.
So, I went ahead, and, YUM.
I will admit that my husband and several friends thought I was a touch heavy handed on the black pepper, so I have adjusted the amount called for for this post, but everyone thought it one of the best onion soups they’d had, so, winner!
And, thanks to wellplated.com for posting the original recipe, and for showing me how to use the bone broth I’ve been noticing in the soup stock aisle at my local markets.
On to the soup!
INGREDIENTS
•3 tbsp unsalted butter
•3 very large yellow onions or Spanish onions, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick – about 10 to 12 cups
•2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
•2 springs fresh thyme
•1 bay leaf
•3 tbsp water
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•1/2 cup dry red wine
•1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
•4 cartons (8.25-oz) beef bone broth
•4 cups beef stock
•1/2 tsp Kosher salt
•1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1 tbsp sherry vinegar (optional)
•Sourdough rolls
•Sliced Gruyère cheese
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
Set your Instant Pot – mine is actually a Fagor Cooker – to sauté and melt the butter.
Add the onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf, tossing to blend and coat with the butter.
Cook for five minutes or so, until the onions have softened and started to release liquid.
Stir in the three tablespoons of water and the Sherry Peppers Sauce, then lock the cover into place and seal the pot.
Set to cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes, then quick release the pressure (use a clean kitchen towel to help keep the steam from burning you).
Remove the lid, set the pot back to Sauté and cook for five minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits that may be on the bottom of the pot.
Stir in the wine and simmer (still on Sauté setting) for 15 minutes, until the stock has reduced and thickened a bit. Remove the thyme and the bay leaf.
Add the bone broth and beef stock and continue to simmer for 45 minutes more.
Give the soup a taste, and add salt or pepper if you think it needs it.
This would be a good time to stir in the sherry vinegar, if you’re using it.
Slice the sourdough rolls in half, arrange, cut side up, on a baking sheet, and top with the Gruyère slices.
Pop under the broiler and cook for five minutes or so, until the cheese is browned a bit and nicely bubbly.
Ladle the soup into bowls, add a roll half or two on top, and serve.
Nice soup!