French Onion Soup
In the Midwest, the air has been crisp + cold in the mornings, afternoons giving way to sun-beams through the trees & breezes coming through the windows as smells of beef stock, caramelized onions + garlic wafting up from our stock pot.
This is the season I crave unlike any other.
The feelings of newness as the weather shifts, as the mornings filled with light give way to beautiful afternoons where the temperatures are just perfect for a fleece or flannel - pumpkins, apples, the sound of crunching leaves… I love it all.
It’s fleeting + it goes away too quickly as winter sets in, but the last burst of the autumn colors make my heart swoon in ways nothing else can.
Yesterday, the cold air + chill gave me inspiration for a warm, large pot of soup. I used the original recipe of Farmhouse Pottery - a brand I follow + love for their beautiful ceramics & farmhouse style.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
6 sweet onions
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (*I subbed gluten-free 1:1)
4 cups beef stock
crusty bread
cheese slices of choice - I used swiss
Method
Melt your butter on medium heat in a large stock pot or dutch oven.
Cut your onions in half, then slice thinly throughout. Add to the melted butter along with garlic, black pepper, sugar + pinch of salt.
Cook for 40-50 minutes on low heat, stirring often to prevent burning. Cook until onions have cooked down significantly + are brown & well caramelized.
Once the onions have caramelized, add the fresh thyme + flour, stirring well. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the beef stock + bring to a simmer. Let soup simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thick & glossy.
Check seasonings and add more salt or pepper, as needed.
Ladle soup into mugs or oven-safe bowls, and top with your bread + slice of cheese - placing on a baking sheet, cook at 350 degrees until cheese is melted & bubbly.
