French Onion Soup
5-6 onions sliced
butter and olive oil
big pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon thyme
bay leaf
pepper
1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cartons beef stock
1/2 cup white wine or vermouth
lots of Gruyere cheese, grated
a toasted round of baguette for each bowl sliced about 1/2 inch thick
garlic
Using a big heavy bottomed pot heat olive oil and butter together over medium heat
Toss in onion slices and sugar stirring to coat evenly
Be very patient and let this cook and brown until you have nice brown color on the onions and the bottom of the pan. This is where the flavor comes from.
When it is all evenly browned then you put in the dry mustard, thyme, bay leaf, pepper and Worcestershire stirring it up for a minute.
Pour in wine or vermouth to deglaze the pan stirring up all the browned bits
Add the beef stock (Okay you can use a good veggie stock if you must) and simmer for an hour on low heat.
Brush the bread rounds with olive oil and toast them under the broiler. Do not turn your back for a second. Do not run to the bathroom, don't answer the door or the phone do not even stop the children from killing each other or this will burn and you will have to start over.
Take the hot bread toasts and "scrub" each one with some fresh garlic clove and it will melt into the bread and you will start to make these everyday.
Dish soup into oven proof bowls. Top with 1 or 2 toasted pieces. Scatter some cheese over top and return to the broiler.
Watch this too but not quite as closely as the toast. You can now run quickly to the bathroom or stop the kids from killing each other. Or not.