French Onion Soup

After my surgery I was forced to develop my culinary talent in a new way: soups. So I developed this recipe as a means of injecting superb flavor into a seriously healthy dietary side track. the ingredients are all natural, gluten free, with no preservatives other than a refrigerator to save leftovers. And there will be PLENTY of leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet onions, peeled and cut into long slices
• 1 cup peeled garlic, cut into thin slices
• 4 tbsp olive oil or 1/2 half stick unsalted butter
• thyme, black pepper, basil, oregano to taste (about 1-2 tbsp each)
• 1/2 cup rice flour (optional for body)
• red cooking wine, (non-alcoholic is best) I like the Mull red from IKEA
• 48-60 oz Beef broth

   Optional:

• baguette sliced or cut into large cubes
• Gruyere (grated) or Swiss cheese (sliced)

Toast bread until crunchy outside, slightly tender inside. Set aside until soup is done.

    In a medium to large sized dutch oven, heat olive oil (or butter until melted) and add spices. More thyme is better than less. Once spices are blended into oil or butter, add the sliced onions and garlic. Stir well and cover at medium heat and sweat until caramelized, about 30 minutes stirring often.

     Once onions are soft and caramelized, add rice flour and stir well at medium high heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes until well blended and reduce heat. Add red wine (or cognac), stir well and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, add Beef broth and stir. Cover and simmer stirring often for 20 minutes.

     If adding the croutons or sliced toasted baguette, ladle soup into oven safe 2-cup sized ceramic container. Heat oven to 375. Place bread or croutons on top off soup and cover with cheese. Bake approximately 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and brown at the edges, and serve.