French Onion Soup with Safe 'Croutons'

Ingredients

• 3 large Onions
• 6 cups Beef broth
• 1/4 cup Dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 4 slices French bread (ensure nut-free)
• 2 tablespoons Sunflower Seed Butter
• 1 cup Swiss cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Slice the 3 large onions thinly, aiming for uniform 1/8-inch (3 mm) slices.
2. 2In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat (approximately 325°F / 160°C). Add the thinly sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, until the onions are deeply golden brown and very soft, indicating caramelization.
3. 3Add the 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and the 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves to the pot with the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in the 1/4 cup of dry sherry and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, incorporating them into the mixture.
4. 4Add the 6 cups of beef broth, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high (approximately 375°F / 190°C) to bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low (approximately 250°F / 120°C) and cook for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
5. 5While the soup is simmering, preheat your broiler to high (approximately 500°F / 260°C). Evenly spread the 2 tablespoons of sunflower seed butter onto one side of each of the 4 slices of French bread. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil for 1-3 minutes, watching carefully, until the sunflower seed butter is lightly toasted and golden brown.
6. 6Carefully ladle the hot soup into four individual oven-safe bowls. Place one toasted French bread 'crouton' on top of the soup in each bowl, then evenly cover each 'crouton' with the 1 cup of grated Swiss cheese. Return the bowls to the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
7. 7Serve the French Onion Soup immediately.

Substitutions

Related Guides