French Onion Soup with Cheese Croutons

Ingredients:

• 2 liters of beef broth
• 4 heads of onions, cut into half rings
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup butter
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (about 1/2 bottle) red wine
• 3 heaped tablespoons of premium wheat flour
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 225 gr. grated gruyere cheese

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter (110 g). Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
   
   Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low to prevent the flour from burning, and simmer for 10 minutes until the raw flour flavor disappears.
   
   Add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Just before serving, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with Gruyère cheese and bake until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
   
   Ladle the soup into bowls and place a few cheese croutons on top.
   
   Alternatively, ladle the soup into bowls, topping each with 2 slices of bread and cheese. Place the bowls in the oven until the bread toasts and the cheese melts.