Onion Soup with Thyme

The onion doesn't get enough credit. I, personally, adore the little creature. I feel it is the unsung hero of the kitchen. Seriously, how many receipts begin with chopped onion? Such a simple thing, but, oh, so woefully missed if absent.

And such a simple thing sometimes deserves extra bits of attention, as in delectable onion soup. This is something that you cannot whip together in mere minutes. This takes time (and thyme), but is well worth the effort. But it is forgiving. You don't have to watch it like the hawk. So, whilst your engaged with something else, have this on the hob.

Onion Soup with Thyme

Slice a quantity of onions thinly, about two to three pounds of yellow onions. Alternately, you may chop them. In a lovely Dutch oven, melt half a stick of butter, letting the foam subside before adding all of the onions. Sauté the onions slowly until they're as brown as you like, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking. This is going to take at least 45 minutes, as you do want to do it slowly. If you cover them, they'll sweat and steam. Uncover them to get them browner. The browner they become, the darker the soup.

When your onions are to the appropriate state of golden brown, add a minced clove of garlic, about a tablespoon of sugar, a couple of tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and a quantity of chopped fresh thyme. Stir this about until the flour is cooked, then pour in about 4 cups of vegetable stock, depending upon how brothy you want the soup. Let this simmer for as long as you can hold out. Naturally, add salt and pepper to taste before enjoying.

Note: Okay, please season your food as you're cooking it. I don't explicitly say this, because to me it comes naturally. But if you do indeed season with salt and pepper as you go along, particularly salt, everything is well seasoned but not salty. You can adjust at the end, but you really can't season at that point. It's hard to explain the difference, but it is the truth. When I'm sautéeing the onions, I season with a bit of salt. Not whole spoonfuls, no. A pinch here, a pinch there. It helps the onions cook more quickly and it just all tastes better. This is a skill that comes with practice, believe me, which just means you must cook more often. But once you've mastered this, once you feel comfortable enough to just go into the kitchen and cook, without strictly following a receipt to the letter...it's a wonderful thing.

Now, traditionally, onion soup is made with beef stock. Not happening in a vegetarian kitchen. It's also usually topped with bread and/or croutons and/or cheese and grilled. If you want to do that, do it. I didn't have the crockery or the inclination. First, I'd much rather dunk a good crusty piece of bread into the soup (do use good real bread, not slimy white slice). And I'd rather have a bit of cheese on the side, preferably not some Swiss, which I know is what is usually used. I, personally, like a nice sharp hard cheese with this slightly sweet soup (again, real cheese). But I shan't spank you if you don't follow my lead.