French onion soup

Method

1. This is for a small slow cooker (1.5 to 3.5 litres). In a bigger one, double everything and freeze half. Halve the onions, peel them and slice them thinly, about 3 mm. They will fill the slow cooker, and that is right: they shrink a great deal. Crush the garlic.
2. Put the onions, garlic, olive oil, dried thyme, bay leaves and a good pinch of salt in the slow cooker and stir so the onions are coated. Add no liquid yet: the onions brown in their own juice.
3. Put the lid on and leave it on. Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours, until the onions are soft, sweet and dark golden brown. If you are in, stir once halfway.
4. An hour before you want to eat, stir in the red wine and balsamic vinegar, crumble in the stock cube and pour in 400 ml of boiling water. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 1 hour more with the lid on.
5. About 10 minutes before eating, heat the grill. Slice the baguette into 4 thick slices and toast both sides until crisp and golden.
6. Remove the bay leaves, taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Add a splash of hot water if the soup is too intense.
7. Ladle into bowls and float the toasted baguette on top. The soup is good on its own too.

Tip Slice the onions evenly and thin, since thick pieces stay pale. A dash of tamari deepens the colour if they look light at the end.

Photo made with AI.

From Nosha · nosha.app