French Onion Soup

Makes about 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

4 onions, sliced into rings

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

large bunch of fresh time

salt and freshly ground pepper

about 1/2 a bottle red wine (I used Cabernet)

1 heaping tablespoon of all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef broth (this is about 4-5 cans of broth or 64 oz. total)

1 baguette, sliced

1/2 pound Gruyere (shaved or grated whichever you prefer)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. 

Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. 

Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.  Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for about 5-10 minutes (you will see the onions begin to thicken).

Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes to an hour (the longer the better).  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler.  Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese.  Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

If you don’t have oven safe bowls you can instead arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown.  Then ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.