French Onion Soup Therapy

Enough with winter already, I mean really.  Does it need to be so cold for so long, I’m done with it.  Let’s take a deep breath and warm things up with a slow and low French onion soup.   The key is cooking down the onions long enough before adding liquids.  Once you’ve sliced your onions (see the video here), get them into a nice soup pot over a pour of olive oil and a decent knob of butter.  That’s here:

On low heat let it cook down, at some point adding in a bay leaf or two.  That’s here:

Your patience will be rewarded.  That’s here:

After the long wait, you may add your liquids.  I lean towards a splash of cognac, a slug of port, and a box or two of low-salt chicken stock.  Let it all reduce by a good third with a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary.  Serve with a nice crouton crusted over with melted Gruyere.  And that’s here:

And that’s how we get through winter.