French Onion Soup

Method

1. 1

   Melt the butter in a heavy pot and cook the onions with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes, until deep mahogany — 40 to 45 minutes.

   💡 The color of the onions is the color of the soup; stop at blond and you get blond soup.

2. 2

   Stir in the flour for 1 minute, then deglaze with the wine, scraping up every brown bit.

3. 3

   Add the stock, bay leaf and thyme, and simmer 20 minutes. Season boldly.

4. 4

   Meanwhile toast the baguette slices and rub them with the garlic clove.

5. 5

   Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, float the toasts on top, and bury them in grated gruyère.

6. 6

   Broil until the cheese is bubbling and bronzed at the edges, 3–4 minutes, and serve dangerously hot.

   💡 Warn everyone: the bowls hold their heat for a long time.