French Onion Soup

There's nothing like a hot bowl of ooey-gooey French onion soup.  Turn this rich soup into a full meal by serving this with your favorite salad or sandwich. 


1/2 cup butter
4 yellow onions, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
salt and fresh, ground pepper
1 cup red wine or 2 TBSP Calvados, Applejack, or other brandy
3 heaping TBSP all-purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced into 1/4" thick slices, toasted
1/2 lb grated Gruyere cheese
1 TBSP chives, chopped


In a large Dutch oven or pot melt butter.  Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.   Stir often, until the onions are a rich brown color and well caramelized, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Add wine; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until wine has evaporated.  Discard bay leaf and thyme.  Dust onions with flour and stir.  Turn heat to medium-low.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add broth bring to a boil; simmer for an additional 15 minutes.  Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls.  Top each bowl evenly with 2 - 3 baguette slices and top with the cheese.  Place bowls on a foil-lined cookie sheet.  Put under the broiler until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve piping hot.