Vegan French Onion Soup

As a kid, you learn quickly that a good rule to live by is, "if it takes good, it is probably bad for you".

But of course, as we grow older, we learn another valuable life lesson: "there are always exceptions to the rule", and "rules are made to be broken".

Vegan French Onion Soup

[from Foods For Long Life]

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cups water
• 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, cut in half
• 2 stalks of celery, cut in four pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut in four pieces
• 8 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 cloves of garlic in skin, cut in half or smashed
• 1 tablespoon Tamari soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large onions, thinly sliced (about 10 cups)
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dry thyme
  salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start with the broth. Combine water, mushrooms, celery, carrots, peppercorns, the bay leaf, and crushed garlic cloves in a large pot. Simmer covered, for about an hour.

Meanwhile, slice onions. Saute with olive oil in a medium-large saucepan over medium-high heat, until they start to turn translucent. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Add 1 tsp sugar, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to caramelize. Be careful near the end not to stir too often or too infrequently - if you stir too often, the onions won't brown, and if you stir too infrequently...well...you know what happens. Once the onions have turned brown, add crushed garlic and thyme.

Once broth is done simmering, strain the vegetables out of the stock. Add the stock to your pan of (now caramelized) onions.

Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Okay. Admittedly, this recipe takes awhile, about an hour and a half, with all of the simmering and caramelizing action that is going down. So don't attempt this recipe after a fifteen hour work day and your stomach is threatening to digest itself. In fact, I think it's pretty safe to say that it is probably a "strictly weekend" sort of recipe.

But think of the rewards! Don't lie, I know I had you guys at "ten cups of onions".