Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
1/2 pound grated Gruyere
Directions
Melt the stick of butter in a large pot 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 I call
BS on this. 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 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add
the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook
for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange
the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly
and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere
croutons on top.
Alternative method: 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.