French Onion Soup

My love for soup is deep. It is like a cozy blanket, or the first really warm day of spring, or snuggling with your honey as the snow falls on a winter night.

What kind of soup matters not, it could be a stew, broth or bisque, consommé, bouillabaisse, chowder, or pho. What matters is that it is warm, nourishing and delicious.

Surely there is nothing more satiating to eat than vegetables, grains, meat or fish suspended in liquid.  That which warms you from inside to out.

The last few days, I’ve been craving French onion soup. I had some stale bread, picked up some Gruyere, and recently made a bone broth from beef bones. Little more is required, except a splash of that nice pinot you sip while your onions are caramelizing!

The idea with this soup was to retain the sweetness of the onions as much as possible. The cheese will offset this, so I added no salt to the onions whatsoever.

2 Large yellow onions, sliced and in the pan, on low for an hour at least, until golden, soft and sweet.

A splash of red wine. Sherry will do.

Fresh sage, thyme and marjoram. A little black pepper.

Add approx. 500 ml of beef stock and bring to a simmer.

Pour soup into individual ceramic bowls.

Top with cubed bread and grated Gruyere.

Bake until cheese is melted and browning.

Exact amounts have deliberately been omitted. Use as much or as little as you choose.

Enjoy this decadent soup with a nice crisp green salad….and more wine.

I was able to freeze this soup also. Once fully assembled, before baking, wrap in foil, and place in freezer.

To thaw, remove foil and place in oven. Do not preheat as this may cause the bowl to break. Bake at 300 for 45-60 minutes.