Ingredients
Two onions (I prefer red; white or brown ones work fine too.)
Light olive oil for sauteéing same
2-3 celery hearts (the leafy bits)
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
A couple of bay leaves
1/2" thick slices of a baugette, two per bowl, toasted
Gouda cheese, grated
Chicken broth
Port Wine
Preparation
Besides the usual suspects, you will need some cheesecloth, string, and some oven-safe bowls.
Slice the onion thinly and sauteé with olive oil in a large saucepan until it carmelizes and turns brown, about 15 min.
Add enough port wine to cover.
Roll the celery hearts, thyme, and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tie with string (a “bouquet garnit”) and add to pot. Continue to sauteé until the onions give up. Add chicken broth until you have, well, how much soup you want, and simmer for about half an hour until the onions are practically falling apart, stirring now and then. After things break down, add salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat your broiler.
Lose the bouquet garni, and ladle soup into oven-safe crocks (I have some small Pyrex bowls that work very well). Float two slices of baugette toast on each, and pile on the grated Gouda cheese. Put the bowls on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler until the cheese turns brown and starts to bubble: this will take only seconds, so watch it carefully!
Serves as many as, well, you made soup for.
