“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future too.”

-Marcus Aurelius

Ingredients

• Four or five large chopped onions. If chopped onions are unavailable, buy unchopped unions and chop them.This recipe is simple and should not be spoiled by complication
• Butter
• Salt
• Thyme
• A liter of beef stock
• A glass or two of dry red wine
• Croutons or baguette slices
• Gruyere cheese

Method

1. Add the butter, chopped onions, a few pinches of salt, and a pinch of thyme to an enameled Dutch Oven or steel saucepan and stir until well-browned, about ten minutes.

2. Add the wine and simmer for five to ten minutes, deglazing the pan. The wine should just cover the onions.

3. Add the beef stock, a few pinches of salt, and a few pinches of black pepper, stir, and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. If using fresh bread (the French Sourdough and French Long Loaf both work quite well), slice and toast.

5. When soup is finished simmering (onions should be quite soft and sweet onion flavor should permeate the broth) add salt as necessary.

6. Fill crocks or bowls with croutons or toasted bread, add soup to nearly cover the toasts, top with Gruyere, and bake in oven for about ten minutes. Finish on low broil for 60 seconds. Cheese should be bubbling and crispy, but not burnt.

7. Serve.