Basel Flour Soup
by Tavolino
A traditional Swiss classic that gets its characteristic nutty aroma from carefully browning flour in butter. This hearty soup is a warming treat, especially on cold days.

Ingredients
- Butter 100 g
- All-purpose flour (or bread flour) 125 g
- Beef or vegetable broth, hot 2 l
- Salt to taste
- Nutmeg, freshly grated to taste
- Caraway seeds, ground to taste
- Red wine, full-bodied 4 tbsp
- Milk 1 dl
- Gruyère AOP, grated 50 g
Preparation
- 1
Melt the butter in a pot.
- 2
Remove the pot briefly from the heat, add the flour, and stir thoroughly with the butter.
- 3
Return the pot to the heat and toast the flour over low heat, stirring constantly, for 20-30 minutes until caramel-brown.
- 4
Deglaze with 5 dl of the hot broth and bring to a boil while stirring.
- 5
Add the remaining broth (1 l) and season lightly with salt.
- 6
Let the soup simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- 7
Season the soup to taste with salt, nutmeg, or caraway, as well as the red wine.
- 8
If desired, pass the soup through a sieve and bring to a brief boil once more.
- 9
Stir the milk and grated Gruyère together in a soup tureen.
- 10
Pour the boiling hot soup into the tureen while stirring and serve.