French Onion Soup

I saw the film Julie & Julia a few days ago (based on Julia Child and a food blogger), hence all this recipe blogging madness!

Yesterday I embarked on a new challenge: French Onion Soup. It's one of those things I don't even bother asking if it's vegetarian at restaurants anymore because it inevitably is not (always a beef stock base). I found a recipe on Gourmet Traveller and slightly adapted it. Be prepared - it takes about 2.5 hours.

Ingredients:
~ 1 kg of brown onions, finely sliced
~ 50g butter
~ 1 litre "beef style" vegetable stock (I used Massel brand)
~ 1 teaspoon thyme
~ 1 bay leaf

What to do:
1. Melt the butter in a very large saucepan then add the onions and cover.
2. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every 5 or so, until onions are soft.
3. Remove lid and cook for another hour (yes, 60 minutes), stirring every so often*.
4. Add stock 1/2 cup at a time and stir after each addition for 5 minutes, until 2 cups of stock have been added (about 20 minutes).
5. Add the remaining stock, thyme and bay leaf then simmer for another 40 minutes.
6. At the end of all of this, the soup should be brownish and thick. Take out the bay leaf then serve straight away (cheese on toast is a recommended side, but the soup is good on it's own too).

*I chose to watch 20 minute episodes of Weeds and stir after each one, but that's just me.