ONION soup

I love onion soup! LOVE IT! I think the best restaurant versions are Jason's deli which is veggie!!! they use soy to give it such depth. It is great but probably full of sodium. The other is La Madelaine.
I make this whenever myself or the kids are sick. The onions are very antimicrobial and the thyme plant is a microb killer! My kids eat the broth and some of the onions. I also top it with cheese SO yummy
ONION soup
onions use a mix of yellow(sweet) and white(sharper)
garlic
wine or sherry
beef stock or consomme or homemade(best but time consuming)
bay leaf thyme salt and pepper
water Gruyere cheese or Swiss or provolone(please try to get Gruyere it is incredible)
slice the onions and put in a big skillet in a few tablespoons of oil. brown slowly on medium heat. you can stir them but if they are getting too brown turn down the heat. this takes at least 30 mins and is THE most important part of this dish so don't rush it and start early. caramelize onions,this just means brown them without burning. If you need put heat on low and saute long and slow. as you get better at this you can do it faster.
put onions in soup pot with one or two garlic cloves(I love garlic but don't add too much to this dish) and add your wine or sherry 1/2 to 1 cup. cook down for about 10 mins.
Add your herbs. I use thyme and bay leaf from my garden but dried works really well. These are pretty important to the final taste. Dont add any other herbs they dont substitute well.
cracked plack pepper.
Add your stock if you want a lighter soup use chicken stock or veggie stock(good veggie soup)
I really like mine hearty so I make my own beef stock but to make this quick I really like Campbell's beef consomme. I use 2 cans and 2 cans water.
Cook for about an hour on low medium.
Add a splash of sherry to the finished soup.
ladle into bowls and top with grated Gruyere cheese and black pepper.
I dont like wet bread but you can put a slice of toasted bread in it if you like that.
put under the broiler if you want or have time but dont leave it!

I will be making gazpacho soon as the garden is ready!! CANT WAIT!!