# Real chefs recipes compared to mine **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [July 8, 2024, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909 "2024-07-08T23:07:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/1 "2024-07-08T23:07:27Z")
My recipe for French Onion Soup: Buy some nice beef stock. Peel and chop 8 cups of onions, etc, etc… Jean Pierre’s recipe for French Onion Soup: Brown some leftover beef bones,… Julia’s recipe for French Onion Soup: De-bone a young, grass fed Charolais cow… ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/2 "2024-07-08T23:18:32Z")
For what it’s worth, Anthony Bourdain says many chefs use shallots, not onions. Not sure if you’d want to do that for French onion soup. My French soup recipe: Buy frozen French onion soup at Trader Joe’s. Heat as directed while lightly toasting a round of baguette bread. Put toast in bowl. Pour heated soup over. Add a slice of cheese to supplement the TJ’s cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/3 "2024-07-08T23:19:02Z")
Butter. You have to use a lot of butter. Sticks of butter. Onions cooked in butter. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/4 "2024-07-08T23:43:46Z")
This. The butter. The reason restaurant meals taste so good is butter. Except when it’s cream. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/5 "2024-07-08T23:51:59Z")
Julia uses olive oil to begin then adds butter. I made it with leeks one time and it was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/6 "2024-07-09T00:27:56Z")
Because olive oil has a higher smoke temp than butter? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/7 "2024-07-09T01:37:05Z")
It’s not a terrible idea to make your own beef stock, especially considering how generally flavorless that store-bought beef broth tends to be. All you need is some oxtails and shanks, some water, a pot, and time. But you can also use chicken broth, which is better from the store, and cheaper to make. We do a version very close to this: [French Onion Soup: the Cook’s Illustrated Way Recipe - Food.com](https://www.food.com/recipe/french-onion-soup-the-cooks-illustrated-way-344164) except we use sherry, not red wine, leave the balsamic vinegar out, and use gruyere, not asiago. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/8 "2024-07-09T01:43:05Z")
You can buy decent beef stock. It might cost more than a joint of beef and making your own. Don’t feel bad, if your soup suits you and those you serve. It’s THE best. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/9 "2024-07-09T01:47:21Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Because olive oil has a higher smoke temp than butter? Exactly. Equal parts butter and olive oil is her preferred fat for sauteeing and caramelizing in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and it’s what I use to saute the onions and garlic when I start a batch of chili or marinara sauce. > [@bump](#): > > It’s not a terrible idea to make your own beef stock, especially considering how generally flavorless that store-bought beef broth tends to be. All you need is some oxtails and shanks, some water, a pot, and time. But you can also use chicken broth, which is better from the store, and cheaper to make. A few years ago I made _selleongtang_, Korean beef bone broth that serves as the base of a spicy beef-rice-kimchi soup. It involves holding marrow bones at a rolling boil for about 8-9 hours until everything but the calcium itself has been wrung out of those bones. I started cooking at 5 PM and the soup was ready around 7 the following morning and it was delicious. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/10 "2024-07-09T01:50:39Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > This. The butter. The reason restaurant meals taste so good is butter. Except when it’s cream. And don’t forget the salt. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/11 "2024-07-09T01:53:52Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > And don’t forget the salt. Salt is overrated. MSG is what makes preserved foods taste good. It’s just harder to notice because MSG-phobia has lead manufacturers to find creative ways of “hiding” MSG in the ingredients list on packaging (yeast extract, soy protein, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/12 "2024-07-09T01:55:09Z")
I’ve never seen a chef on TV add MSG to anything they are making. Loads of butter, cream and salt though. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/13 "2024-07-09T01:56:51Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > I’ve never seen a chef on TV add MSG to anything they are making. You’ve probably seem them add Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce or fish sauce to foods you wouldn’t associate with those flavors, though, because they’re full of natural glutamates that add umami. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/14 "2024-07-09T01:58:08Z")
And a lot of sodium, lol. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/15 "2024-07-09T02:32:18Z")
They open a bottle of fine red wine to use in their dishes. I use wine that comes in a box. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/16 "2024-07-09T02:36:10Z")
> [@susan](#): > > For what it’s worth, Anthony Bourdain says many chefs use shallots, not onions. This is my go to. Sauté chopped shallots in olive oil and butter for 3-4 minutes, add in chopped garlic for another minute, throw in some herbes de Provence & salt & pepper, then deglaze with white wine. Makes a great base for risotto and sauces for chicken cutlets. Has the added bonus of smelling so delicious and fragrant that everyone in the house is absolutely ravenous by the time the food hits the table. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/17 "2024-07-09T02:50:47Z")
We do start with simmered beef chuck when making Thai noodles (like Pho). Fantastic broth and I never thought of using it for onion soup. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/18 "2024-07-09T03:28:01Z")
nit pick, Pho is Vietnamese and not Thai. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/19 "2024-07-09T05:37:06Z")
Yes, I was comparing since more people are familiar with Pho. The Thai version uses star anise and no cinnamon. Cilantro and bean sprouts for garnish. Restaurants also include basil but we don’t use it at home. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909/20 "2024-07-09T06:31:49Z")
The recipe that I was taught for French onion soup begins by throwing a whole pile of bacon rashers into the pot and rendering out the fat to saute the onions and shallots. At this point I would take out the bacon, make a couple of bacon sandwiches and eat them while I continued cooking the soup. I used to make the soup in the morning for consumption that night. I don’t know if I imagined it but it always seemed tastier reheated. And the bacon sandwiches were a great breakfast. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-chefs-recipes-compared-to-mine/1003909.md?page=2)