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She's positive it works!

That's what I get for posting on a bb...that font is tiny!

Best version ever is the CI recipe in the original version of Soups and Stews (which I suspect is the 1999 version as it uses red onions and balsamic), made with CI's rich beef broth instead of the chicken/beef broth called for. I add a splash of cognac along with the red wine, and finish with the gruyere/asiago mix as called for. As a bonus, it freezes really well (pre-crouton and cheese) so you can make it way in advance. It's better IMO than any of the other CI recipes and the Les Halle's recipe from Anthony Bourdain. I like it better than Julia's version too. I make the beef broth one day, and the soup another, so it's not too labour intensive. The broth works really well in a pressure cooker too, which makes it even faster.

Thanks Carey, that sounds really really good. Unfortunately, I tossed my original CI Soups book out when I got the new one - and the new one only has the 2005 recipe. FWIW - the ingredients you listed don't match up with the 1999 recipe so I'm thinking that the recipe you are referring to was unique to that book. Too bad.

The other possibility is with CI's search engine as two of the "results" are for the same onion soup recipe. Perhaps the recipe you are referring to is available online but not accessible at this moment. I'll contact Jacqui about that later.

The recipe you mentioned sounds great - please PM me if there is any chance that you can send it to me via fax or email. I have some of the CI Rich Beef Stock in the freezer and would love to make that soup as well as Julia's - to see which I prefer. Thanks again!

Gerard

Gerard,

I pm'd the recipe to you...

Thanks so much!

For Julia's recipe, I'm going to make beef stock according to her directions. One question - the bones that I have are frozen. Do they need to be thawed before roasting?

Nope. Just roast longer. But rinse them well in lukewarm water before roasting.

Amy

Gerard,

Glad to see that Tim beat me to the punch with the recipe. I add in cognac to taste (maybe a tbsp or two...more if I'm sampling it too). The book version suggests substituting 8 cups of home-made beef broth for the canned chicken/beef broths, which is conveniently what the Rich Beef Broth recipe makes.

Hope your soup turns out great!

Here's a link to the the one with the red onions. I'll be happy to post it, if someone else wants it. French Onion Soup Gratinee 1/1999.