Ingredients

• 3 lb onions
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2.5 cups dark beer or stout
• 1-1/4 cups cream
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• dash of Tabasco sauce
• fresh-ground pepper to taste
• 2 to 4 tsp sugar (depending on the bitterness of the beer)
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 4 egg yolks
• Optional garnish:
• hot paprika
• toasted crotons with parmesan cheese

Directions

• Peel the onions, halve them crosswise, and slice them. Cook them slowly with the garlic in the butter until all the onions are transparent and soft, about 1 hour.
• Add the vegetable broth and, in batches of 2 or 3 cups, puree the mixture in a blender or food processor.
• Pour the puree into a large pot together with the beer and cream.
• Add the salt, paprika, Tabasco, pepper, sugar, and vinegar and simmer the mixture, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.
• Beat the egg yolks with a whisk. Continue to beat them as you add a small amount of the hot soup, then pour the yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the soup and whisk it all together quickly.
• Cook the soup for a few minutes more over very low heat, stirring constantly. It should be slightly thickened.
• Serve the soup very hot and sprinkle a little hot paprika on top if you like and/or garnish with croutons and parmesan cheese.

Photos