Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 and 1/2 pounds sweet onions (any variety—I prefer Vidalia), trimmed and very thinly sliced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided use
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 and 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 4-ounce package soft mild goat cheese, room temperature (for easier spreading)
- 6 medium-size slices French bread, toasted
Method
Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes. Add garlic, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the thyme and cook for 1 minute; add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and wine; cover and cook over low heat, for 25 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt & pepper.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Spread cheese onto bread, sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, and place on large baking sheet. Broil 1-2 minutes or until bubbling and golden. Ladle soup into deep bowls and top with a cheese crouton.
Notes
Sweet onions are found adjacent to ordinary onions in the supermarket. Buy onions that feel hard, free of soft spots and with no trace of sprouting. Store them in a cool, dark and airy place. Once peeled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Sweet onions, like other onions, will keep for weeks without refrigeration, making them handy for added bursts of flavor to plenty of spur-of-the moment cooking.
This is the perfect thing for lunch, but a little bit light for me for dinner on a typical night (especially a post-exercise night like tonight); we had some rotisserie chicken and arugula on the side.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition per Serving (1 bowl and 1 crouton):
Calories 280; Fat 10.9g (sat 5.1g, mono 4.1g, poly 1.2g); Protein 13.4g; Cholesterol 19.4mg; Carbohydrate 26.6g; Sodium 599.7mg.
Caramelized Onion Soup with Red Wine & Goat Cheese Croutons. To import, drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box.