French Onion Soup
by Sarah Michaelson (blogs at foodadventureclub.blogspot.ca)
The Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter
1 super giant Vidalia onion and 1 normal onion (or 1 1/2 lbs. of yellow onions), sliced
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup of Half Pints Beer – St. James or Bulldog Amber Ale
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp fresh minced thyme, or 1 tsp dried
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 baguette
A melty cheese like Gruyère, grated, or vegan cheese option
In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, stir well, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until onions are tender and deep golden brown (about 30 minutes). Don’t forget to stir them occasionally.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until combined. Gradually stir in the beer, then the stock, the thyme, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.
Preheat your broiler. Cut the baguette ~1 cm thick, 2 slices per bowl being served. Broil them lightly on both sides and set aside.
Position the oven rack 12 inches from the broiler and leave it on.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls.
Sprinkle cheese onto baguette slices, place slices on soup, and broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Serves 4 (or so).
Dessert
By Nicole Barry of Half Pints
1 bottle Half Pints Stir Stick Stout
Vanilla ice cream
Dark chocolate (solid)
Quick and impressive: pour Stir Stick Stout over vanilla ice cream and shave dark chocolate on top. Beer float!
