French Onion Soup

This picture was taken right after I pulled two bowls of bubbling soup out from under the oven's broiler and the overpowering scent of onions, toasted homemade bread, and Gruyere was hitting me in the face! It isn't the prettiest soup I've ever made, but it tasted phenomenal. The ingredients are few and simple, with the most expensive ingredient being the Gruyere cheese which must be a splurge because there is no substitute for its flavor!

The recipe is from epicurious.com, labeled a "blue ribbon" recipe which means lots of good ratings! Definitely more comfort food than healthy given the ample cheese and butter, but its flavor is so rich that one bowl will satisfy. The recipe stated that it made 2 servings, but I had at least one full bowl leftover. I used 1/2" slices of homemade wheat bread; too much bread takes away from the soup's silky texture. I didn't know how large a "sprig" of thyme is, so I pulled 2 3" stems from my herb garden, which gave just a hint of thyme flavor.

RECIPE:
1 lb yellow onions (about 4 medium), sliced thin
3-5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups Swiss Gruyere cheese, grated
crusty bread, sliced 1/2" thick, heavily toasted

Heat a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium. Melt the butter, then add the onions, thyme, bay leaf, and some salt & pepper. Saute for a few minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook onions for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a caramel color and very soft. Add flour and mix in, then increase heat to medium, add white wine and let bubble for a few minutes. Pour in broth and water, bring to a simmer and cook with the pot covered for 30 minutes. Sprinkle in more salt and pepper to taste. Once the flavor of the soup is to your liking, turn off heat and ladle soup into two oven-proof bowls. Float slices of bread on top and sprinkle on a thick layer of Gruyere on the bread. Place bowls onto a baking dish for stability and broil on the middle rack for 5 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Let cool before serving, and don't forget the bowls are very hot!