Freakin' Easy French Onion Soup

This is another staple of our household, not least because our local food delivery service inundates us with onions this time of year. It's been quite a learning experience getting used to eating locally grown foods - it means eating only what is in season, and sometimes, that can get downright boring. But it make the challenge of finding interesting ways to cook all the more fun.
This particular recipe came from a foldout recipe book from a Polish magazine that was lying around my grandparent's place in Warsaw. It is the only dish he ever let me cook for him. He insisted on helping, slicing the onions paper thin, even though he had a cataract and was blind in one eye. His sliced onions would have made a Cordon Bleu chef jealous.


FREAKIN' EASY FRENCH ONION SOUP
4 cups water
2 vegetarian bullion cubes
2 medium white/yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tblsp butter
1 tblsp flour
Splash of dry sherry, optional
1/4 tsp red chili flakes, optional
salt/pepper to taste

4 slices of toasted bread (can be French/Italian, or any bread you have on hand)
1 cup shredded Swiss Gruyere (or any shredded cheese you have)

Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat for 10-15 minutes. If they start to brown, reduce heat. Add chili flakes, if using. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring to coat flour in butter. Pour in water, add bullion cubes and stir to dissolve. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add splash of dry sherry, if using. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper to your personal liking.

In soup bowls, arrange one piece of toast per bowl. Top with 1/4 cup cheese in each bowl. Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 4 (if you're lucky)