Ingredients

1 Butternut Squash
1 Leek
1 Onion, peeled, cut in half
5 Shallots, peeled
1 bulb Garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 Carrots, peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 Stalks Celery, trimmed
1 Small bunch of Fresh Sage Leaves, stems removed
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper

6 – 8 Cups of Vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 350 F. or 180 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Trim the root and the toughest part of the green end of the leek, cut it into quarters lengthwise from the root end toward the green, stopping before the end so that the layers are held together, rinse well under cool water, dry. Lightly coat the vegetables and sage leaves with olive oil. Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet.  Roast the vegetables in the oven, checking after about fifteen minutes, remove them as they become soft and turn golden brown on the edges and reserve them. When the butternut is quite soft, scoop out the flesh, cool it slightly, squeeze out the garlic to remove the peel, add with the rest of the vegetables to a food processor and puree until smooth. Place in a stockpot and add the vegetable stock. Simmer the soup for a few minutes, adding more stock if necessary to achieve desired consistency.

Meltingly tender onions, vegetable  stock, and rich, nutty melted cheese—these are the indispensable elements that make this boldly flavored soup a hallmark of French cuisine—and a favorite of American tables, too.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 1/2 lbs. yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups vegetable soup
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 crusty baguette
2 2/3 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Directions:
In a large, heavy sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, stir well, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until combined. Gradually stir in the wine, then the stock, and finally the thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, preheat a broiler. Have ready eight 1 1/2-cup broilerproof soup crocks. Cut the baguette into 16 slices, sizing them so that 2 slices will fit inside each crock. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until lightly toasted on both sides, about 1 minute total. Set the slices aside. Position the oven rack about 12 inches from the heat source, and leave the broiler on.

Ladle the hot soup into the crocks. Place 2 toasted bread slices, overlapping if necessary, on top of the soup and sprinkle each crock evenly with about 1/3 cup of the Gruyère. Broil until the cheese is bubbling, about 2 minutes. Serve at once. Serves 8.

Variation: For an extra layer of flavor and complexity, instead of the yellow onions, use a mixture of roughly equal amounts red, white, and sweet (such as Vidalia) onions. Italy’s fontina cheese, from the Val d’Aosta, is a delicious alternative to the traditional Gruyère cheese. Makes 8 servings.