French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 4 large sweet onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. thyme, 1 bay leaf in garni bag
• Flour-enough to "dust" onions
• 1/2 C red wine
• 2 qt. Swanson beef stock
• 2 soup bones
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 " thick slices of French Baguette, toasted.
• 2 C Gruyere cheese, grated
• 
  

Instructions:

Pour beef stock into 3 qt. saucepan, add soup bones.  Simmer at least 3 hours. (Drain before adding to onions)  .Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat, add the onions and cook slowly at low with the lid on until golden brown and caramelized, about 2-3 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.  Raise the heat to medium, uncover to reduce liquid, then add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.  Mix in the flour and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. ( Use less than 1/4 C).  Add the wine and deglaze the pan.  Add the strained broth, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add garni bag with thyme and bay leaf during last 15 minutes of cooking, then remove bag.

Ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls on a baking sheet and top with the toasted sliced bread and cheese. Broil until cheese melts, about 1-3 minutes.  Watch carefully to make sure cheese does not burn!

Be very careful serving this soup.  Let it cool a bit before you serve.  It comes out of the oven super hot!