Heavenly Homemade Onion Soup

I have yet to figure out how to eat onion soup in public without getting it all over me, so it’s a perfect dish to have at our home-based Josmo’s Cafe!

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 sweet onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2-3 tablespoons flour
• 2 quarts beef broth – store bought
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 1/2 pound Gruyere cheese

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions,  garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper and slowly cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes, watching carefully and stirring often.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are almost dry, about 5 minutes. 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.

Cheese toast – here’s an easy way to make the cheese toast to float on top.  Using a cheese slicer for extra thin slices, slice the Gruyere cheese. Do not use a substitute cheese. Gruyere is what makes it so good. Place the thinly sliced cheese on the bread and toast it in a toaster oven or under the broiler until lightly brown and bubbly.

Ladle the soup in bowls and place the cheese toast on top. Serve extra cheese toast on the side, if desired.