Browned-Flour Soup From Basle (Switzerland) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

7 teaspoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
7 -8 cups hot water
1 medium onion, stuck with
5 cloves
1 bay leaf
salt

Preparation

Melt 6 T. butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and the color of chocolate. This takes about 7 - 10 minutes. Do not let the mixture scorch. (If it does, throw it out and start over.).
Remove from heat. Gradually add the hot water, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Add onion, bay leaf and salt to taste. Simmer over the lowestg possible heat, stirring occasionally, for one hour.
Remove onion and bay leaf before serving. Add the last tablespoons of butter.
NOTE: some cooks add 1 t. tomato paste, others 1 - 2 T. dry madeira and others a little grated swiss cheese.