Onion soup
10 large yellow onions (about 1.2 kg)
5 cloves of garlic
Liquid margarine
2 litres of good beef (or vegetable) stock
Salt, pepper, thyme, one bay leaf
Cheese blanket
Thick slices of day-old country bread
Butter
Coarsely grated Swiss cheese
Peal and slice the onions. Cook the onions in the margarine without letting them brown. Season the onions with salt, pepper and thyme. Add stock and the bay leaf. Simmer slowly for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the cheese blanket just before serving. Butter the bread and cut it into fairly big croutons. Ladle the soup into oven-safe plates or bowls. Lay croutons on the soup and sprinkle cheese on top. Place under grill until the bread and cheese turn golden brown.