Onion Soup

As the end of fall approaches, it's been getting pretty cold here. As somebody who grew up in the desert and is used to the heat, cold and snow give me serious cravings for hot food, especially soup. The onion soup in Loamhedge sounded particularly good as a warm soup without being too heavy (to stave off the winter weight gain as long as possible, of course). When reading about the soup, my mind (of course) immediately went to French Onion Soup, though that contains beef-broth. I strove for a similar flavor while following my Redwall Food Guidelines by using vegetable broth and Worcestershire sauce.

Onion Soup

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 90 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Yield: about 10 cups of soup

Ingredients

• 4 large or 2 very large sweet onions (Vidallia preferred, if you can find them)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 cups vegetable broth (that's 4 cans or 2 boxes)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (start with one, then add the second after cooking if needed)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• Salt, to taste

Optional, but highly recommended:

• Crusty bread, like a baguette
• Grated gruyere or swiss cheese

Directions

1. Slice the onions into thin strips.
2. Add olive oil and onions to a large soup pot and heat over medium high heat
   
3. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until they are cooked down and translucent, starting to turn brown. This takes about 20-30 minutes.
   
4. Add the broth, wine, thyme, and one tablespoon of the Worcestershire. 
   
5. Stir to combine, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer soup for about an hour.
6. Add salt and second tablespoon of Worcestershire to taste
7. If desired, slice the crusty bread, top with grated cheese, and broil in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until bread is toasted and cheese is melty and browning.