french onion soup recipe

 French Onion Soup Recipe

Yields: 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

 * 4 pounds yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced

 * 3 tablespoons butter

 * 4 cloves garlic, minced

 * 3 tablespoons flour

 * 1/2 cup dry white wine

 * 6 cups beef broth

 * 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 * 1 bay leaf

 * 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

 * Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 * 1 baguette, thinly sliced

 * 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Instructions:

 * Caramelize the onions: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until well for about 30 minutes until caramelized (but not burnt), initially stirring every 3-5 minutes, then about once a minute near the end of caramelization to prevent burning.

 * Add garlic: Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

 * Make a roux: Stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute.

 * Deglaze: Stir in the wine to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

 * Simmer: Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the flavors have melded.

 * Broil the bread: Preheat oven's broiler. Toast the sliced bread on both sides for 4-5 minutes each side.

 * Assemble and broil: Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each bowl with a slice of toasted bread, then generously sprinkle with Gruyère cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.

 * Serve: Garnish with additional fresh thyme sprigs (optional) and enjoy!

Tips:

 * For a richer flavor, use homemade beef broth.

 * If you don't have Gruyère cheese, you can use a combination of Swiss, Provolone, or Emmental cheese.

 * To make the soup ahead of time, you can caramelize the onions and refrigerate them for up to 2 days. Simply reheat the onions before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

 * For a vegetarian version, substitute the beef broth with vegetable broth.

Enjoy your delicious French onion soup!