Soupe à l oignon

Method

1. 1 Slice the onions thinly and sauté them in butter over low heat for 50 minutes.
2. 2 Fifty minutes is the exact number; the onions should turn chestnut brown, not just soft.
3. 3 Sprinkle flour in, stir for 3 minutes, then pour in white wine and simmer for 5 minutes until reduced.
4. 4 Pour in the beef broth, then add thyme and bay leaves and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. 5 Scoop the mixture into a ceramic bowl, place a slice of toasted bread on top, and sprinkle a thick layer of gruyère (griyère) over it.
6. 6 Grill for 8 minutes until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.

With an appliance

• Air fryer 2 hr 14 min

  Replace step 6: Place the soup bowls in the basket, run the steamer at 200°F for 5 minutes until the Gruyère cheese turns brown; this is about 3 minutes faster than using the top heat of the oven, resulting in a more pronounced crispy crust, but the small size of the pot means you have to cook in batches. The 50-minute sautéing of the onions should not be shortened to retain the deep caramel flavor.