Cheese Soup (Soupe au Fromage)
A savory, rustic soup consisting of layers of toasted stale bread and Gruyère cheese, steeped in a rich, onion-infused brown broth. This recipe, likely of French origin but adapted for Anglo-Indian kitchens, relies on the quality of the cheese and a dark roux for its distinctive flavor.
Ingredients
- 0.5 pound Gruyère cheese, grated (Approximately 225g. Light-colored dry cheese is necessary, but Gruyère is best.)
- 6 slices Stale bread crumb, thinly sliced (Use the white part (crumb) of a rustic loaf, sliced very thin.)
- 1 tbsp Butter (For making the brown roux.)
- 1 tbsp All-purpose flour (For making the brown roux.)
- 2 tbsp Onion, finely chopped
- 1 quart Water (Approximately 1 liter.)
- 1 pinch Salt (To taste.)
- 1 pinch Black pepper (To taste.)
- 3 drops Gravy browning or Parisian essence (Optional, for dark brown color (burnt sugar).)
Instructions
- 1Grate the Gruyère cheese. Slice the stale bread crumb very thinly, removing crusts if preferred. Finely chop the onion.
- 2Spread a layer of grated cheese at the bottom of a soup tureen or large heat-proof serving bowl. Cover this with a layer of the thin bread slices. Repeat these layers—cheese, then bread—until all the cheese is used up.
- 3In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture turns a nutty brown color (making a brown roux). Add the chopped onion to the roux and cook for a few minutes until the onion softens.
- 4Add the quart of water to the saucepan with the roux and onions. Stir vigorously to dissolve the roux. Bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper, and a few drops of browning essence (if using) to achieve a dark brown color.
- 5Pour the boiling soup directly over the layered cheese and bread in the tureen. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the bread has time to soak up the liquid and the cheese melts. Serve immediately.