Onion soup

 Recipe from chef patrick

Ingredients :
Onion soup, for 8 persons :
1 kilogram (2 'large' pounds) of sweet onions
2.5 COLD liters (1 'large' half of a gallon) of meat (veal or chicken) base for sauce (you can use already prepared dry cubes)
400 grams (1 'small' pound) of grated gruyère cheese
100 grams of butter
30 grams of wheat flour
32 thin slices of 'baguette' bread you have dried in the oven at 300° F during 30 minutes
1/4 liter of red Port (not compulsory but highly recommanded)
table salt
1 pinch of ginger powder
half a pinch of thyme flower

Direction :
1. In a large casserole dish, make gently slowly (no browning) melt butter then onions on the hob. Add salt and ginger and let it stew during 30 minutes covered with a lid and stir from time to time
2. You have just the necessary time to dry the bread (you can do it the day before)
3. Add the flour and stir with a wooend spoon
4. Pour the cold meat base (stock/broth) and fine tune the seasoning when the stock is boiling. Let it cook during 15 minutes
5. Heat the oven at 450° F
6. In invidual bowls that can bear high heat in the oven, pour half an inch high of Port, then distribute the onions taken with a skimmer then the stock. Put 4 sliced of dry bread in each bowl, cover of grated cheese and place into the oven until it is well browned