While the days are sunny around these parts by sundown the temperatures drop to just above freezing. Armed with a couple shiny, new Le Creuset French onion soup enameled bowls (thanks hubby!) I decided to try my first attempt at the classic soup. This recipe got hundreds of 5 star ratings on the Food Network website so I figured it was a good one to start with.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

The prep was minimal, something I always appreciate, and the kitchen started smelling like a winter cottage in Provence right away. Well at least what I believe a Provencal kitchen smells like this time of year…onions, butter, and garlic. I put two baguettes slices on top of each bowl of soup, sprinkled the cheese on top and let that sit under the broiler (on the middle rack of the oven) for about 3 minutes. Watch it carefully because even in that short time the edges of our baguette slices began to burn!

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

The only thing I couldn’t decide on when making this recipe was if I would serve a side dish with the soup. I opted to just focus on the soup and I’m glad I did because it was fulfilling both for our tastebuds and our stomachs. The soup was exactly like I tasted in a Paris bistro on our honeymoon and brought us back to memories of that wonderful trip. It warmed us right up too. What a wonderful soup and I will 100% make this again and again. I especially love the pretty bowls to serve them in! Here’s my French onion soup:

+Tyler Florence  French Onion Soup ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

French Onion Soup

Recipe from: Tyler Florence, Tyler’s Ultimate Bistro

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 quart Organic beef broth
• 1/2 baguette, sliced
• 1/4 pound grated Gruyere cheese

Directions
1. Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.

2. Add 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.

3. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn’t burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

Alternative method: Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.