French onion soup

Ingredients

Quantities for 4 servings.

• 1 kg Onions, thinly sliced
• 50 g Butter
• 1 tbsp Flour
• 150 ml Dry white wine
• 1.2 l Beef stock
• 8 slice Baguette, toasted
• 150 g Gruyère, grated
• 2 sprig Thyme
• to taste Salt and pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and keep them over medium heat, stirring every few minutes. For the first twenty minutes the onions give up water.
2. Then the caramelisation proper begins: another twenty-five minutes to take the onions to the colour of strong tea. If they catch, lower the heat and add a spoonful of water.
3. Stir in the flour and cook it out for a couple of minutes so it loses its raw taste.
4. Pour in the wine and scrape everything stuck to the bottom back into the pot. Let it reduce by half.
5. Add the stock and thyme, bring to the boil and simmer for twenty minutes. Season at the end, since the stock may already be salty.
6. Ladle into ovenproof bowls, top each with a slice of baguette, cover with cheese and put them under the grill until bubbling and browned, about three minutes.