French Onion Soup

Preparation

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
• 2
  Slice the baguette into approx. 6 mm thick pieces and spread them on a baking sheet. Toast in the preheated oven for 5–7 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• 3
  Prepare a bouquet garni: Cut off a green leaf about 10 cm long from the washed leek. Wrap the bay leaf, thyme, and parsley stems in the leaf and tie them tightly with kitchen twine.
• 4
  Peel the onions, halve them lengthwise, and cut them into fine strips.
• 5
  In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and slowly sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 6
  Reduce the heat to one-third, cover, and simmer the onions for 5 minutes. Stir, cover again, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• 7
  Remove the lid and slowly caramelize the onions to a dark brown, stirring frequently. This takes about 20–25 minutes. Patience is key to the flavor here.
• 8
  Sprinkle the flour over it and toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the bouquet garni, deglaze with white wine, and stir well.
• 9
  Let the wine reduce almost completely. Pour in the beef stock, add salt and freshly ground pepper, and bring everything to a boil.
• 10
  Reduce the heat to a minimum and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.
• 11
  Remove the bouquet garni and season the soup with salt again if necessary.
• 12
  Turn on the grill function of the oven.
• 13
  Pour the hot soup into oven-safe bowls.
• 14
  Place 2 toasted baguette slices in each bowl. Place a slice of cheese on top, covering the surface, and generously sprinkle with grated cheese.
• 15
  Place the bowls in the oven and briefly gratinate the cheese under the grill until golden brown and bubbling.
• 16
  Carefully remove the bowls from the oven, place them on saucers, and serve immediately hot.