Basic French Onion Soup
½ cup butter (1 stick)
4 large sweet onions
2 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 tsp dried, ground thyme
1 cup red wine
¼ cup flour
4 cups beef stock
4 cups chicken stock
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
8 oz Gruyere, grated
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Cook on medium-low heat until onions are caramelized, about 90 minutes.
Add wine and simmer until it for 10 minutes.
Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir flour into onions, turn heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add beef and chicken broth, turn heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste.*
Ladle soup into heat-proof bowls. Top with croutons and Gruyere. Place bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted and serve immediately.
*At this point, the soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days until ready to use. Alternatively, it can be cooled and frozen in serving-sized containers for up to 3 months.
6 servings, 427 calories per serving
