Food & Drinks

French melt toast with caramelized onion

Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: French melt toast with caramelized onion.

We are all cooking so much more now that the coronavirus keeps us at home, and in our unending quest for the ultimate comfort food, we came across this delicious panini. Cooking provides stability and offers some peace in uncertain days, in other words, GIVE ME ALL THE CARBOHYDRATES WITH THICK MELTING CHEESE AND CARAMELIZED ONION NOW!

INGREDIENTS
2 onions, sliced thinly
6 tbsp butter
4 thick slices of sturdy white bread
120 g Comté or Gruyère, sliced
Salt and pepper

Ah, that feels good. Do you remember we discussed that letting onions caramelize for a long time is really a super good idea? Especially when you then put them in such an incredibly delicious French melt; a toast with sweet soft brown caramelized onions where that divinely good Comté or Gruyère just drips out, hmmmm…

Here's how to make the French melt

  • Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large non-stick frying pan or a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the onions when the butter has melted, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for about 45 minutes until dark golden brown while stirring regularly with a (wooden) spatula.
  • If they seem to be burning, stir in 1 tablespoon of water occasionally.
  • Put the onions in a bowl and wipe the pan with some kitchen paper.
  • Put the pan back on the heat and melt another tablespoon of butter in it.
  • Place the slices of bread in the pan and gently move them around (without flipping) until they are lightly golden brown after about 2 minutes.
  • Remove the slices of bread from the pan and place them with the cooked side facing up on a cutting board.
  • Spread half of the cheese over 2 toasted sides, then all the onion rings, and then the rest of the cheese.
  • Now place the 2 other slices with the cooked side on the cheese/onion slices and press down a bit. You now have 2 sandwiches with the outer sides uncooked.
  • Melt another 1 tbsp of butter in the pan and place the toasts in it.
  • Cook them for about 3 minutes on one side while gently moving the pan a bit to distribute the butter.
  • Add the last tablespoon of butter, flip the sandwiches over, and repeat.
  • Serve immediately.

Source: Serious Eats