Cabernet French Onion Soup

Cabernet French Onion Soup 

Dutch oven or large stock pot
2-3 Large Sweet Onions
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Large TBS butter
3-4 TBS Olive Oil
3 TBS Flour
1 1/3 Cup Red Wine (I used 14 Hands Cabernet)
8 Cups Beef Stock
Three Bay Leaves
Fresh Thyme Sprig
Salt & Pepper
Baguette (I used a rosemary baguette)
Fresh Gruyere (Fontina or Shaved Tuscan Blend will work too)

Slice onions in medium slices and saute in Dutch oven with 1 large TBS of butter and 3-4 TBS of olive oil. After about ten minutes, add in chopped garlic, bay leaves and thyme spring and reduce heat and let onions slightly caramelize for about 20 minutes. Mix often.

Once onions have slightly caramelized, add in 1 cup of red wine (I used a 14 Hands Cabernet) and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let wine evaporate for about 5-7 minutes. Then add in 3 TBS of flour and stir/cook for about another 3 minutes. Then add in beef stock and remove the thyme sprig. You can remove the bay leaves, but I say the more bay the better! Once the mixture is returned to a boil, add in another 1/3 cup of red wine. Let soup simmer for 30 minutes.

In a 400 degree oven, toast thin slices of baguette (rosemary was delicious) topped with fresh gruyere cheese (fontina or shaved Tuscan blend will work too). Once the cheese has browned and the toast is crispy, remove from oven.

Serve soup with two cheese baguette toasties and a little extra cheese... enjoy!