French Onion Soup

• 1 cup sherry or dry white wine
• 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced into circles
• 8 to 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. whole wheat or unbleached white pastry flour
• 4 cups veggie broth
• 5 tsp. black pepper
• Salt or low sodium soy sauce to taste
• 6 slices french bread, toasted

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the wine until bubbling. Add the onions and reduce heat to medium. Cook the onions slowly, stirring frequently, for at least 20 minutes, until they become pastelike. Don't cook the onions too quickly, or they'll taste bitter.

Add the garlic and continue to cook 5 to 10 minutes until the garlic begins to look brown. Add the flour, stir well, and cook 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring the soup to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Season the soup with pepper and salt or soy sauce. Ladle the soup into a bowl and float a slice of toasted bread on top of each.

• Yields: 6 servings
• Preparation Time: about an hour and a half