My companion, Kirk knows that I LOVE french onion soup. I came home to his unorthodox, but delicious version that he created. I hope you enjoy it too!

For the caramelized onions:

3 large white onions

½ bottle of lager beer

2 mushrooms chopped finely

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

Olive oil

Pepper to taste

For the broth:

1 box of beef broth

1/2 bottle of lager beer

1 bay leaf

Crusty bread

Gruyere cheese

Oven safe ramekin or bowls

Preparing the Soup:

Thinly slice the onions and sauté for about 40-45 minutes on low heat to caramelize the onions. A pinch of salt will draw out the juices and help the onions get soft and brown. You aren’t frying the onions, you are slowly stirring them to soften and get them to a golden brown color. Add the thinly sliced mushrooms and lager and stir to combine.

When the onions have gotten soft and turned a lovely brown color, put them into your crock pot with the remaining ingredients and cook on high for at least 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. This develops the broth into a deep, rich stock.

Taste for salt, you may need to add a little pinch of salt depending on how salty the beef broth or stock you’ve used is.

Slice the bread to about ½ inch thick, and toast in your oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

When the bread is brown, top with a thin slice of cheese, float it on the top of the soup and place the soup under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.

• Be sure that your soup bowl is oven safe!
• Low and slow is the key to caramelized onions. If you are having trouble getting them brown, a tiny pinch of sugar will help them caramelize for you.
• Remove the bay leaf before serving.
• If you’re not a fan of mushy bread, you can serve the bread as a dipper on the side, and put the cheese directly on the soup and melt it into the broth.
• Don’t have a baguette? Use salad croutons instead!
• I have been known to dip mashed potatoes into French onion soup. It’s delicious – don’t knock it til you’ve tried it!