FRENCH ONION SOUP

½ stick butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
8 cups thinly sliced onions (about 3 pounds)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar (can use light brown sugar)
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup sherry
2 tablespoons flour
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
8 cups homemade beef stock
8 – ½ inch thick slices of fresh bread
¾ pound coarsely grated Gruyere
Sprinkle of grated parmesan-reggiano

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, salt,
pepper, and sugar. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions
are deep golden brown and caramelized, 45 to 55 minutes. In the beginning, you will only
need to stir the onions occasionally. As they start to brown midway through cooking, you will
need to stir them frequently, scraping the fond (the brown particles) from the bottom of the
pan. If the onions are browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly or add a few tablespoons
of water to deglaze the pan and continue cooking.

Add the wine, and sherry. Raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to
scrape any fond from the bottom of the pan, until almost all the liquid has evaporated, and the
onions are soft and delicious looking. 6-8 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add the broth, Worcestershire
sauce, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and
cook, covered, for about 30 minutes.

While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle
position. Tear up the baguette slices into rough pieces, arrange in a single layer on a baking
sheet and bake until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 5-7 minutes. Set
aside.

When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaves; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If
the soup needs a deeper flavor, try a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce and or more
sherry.

Adjust an oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place 4 oven proof soup
bowls on a sheet tray and add soup. Arrange toast pieces on top of soup and generously
sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Pre-heated broiler until cheese melts and forms a crust
over the tops of the bowls. Serve immediately. Garnish with a few thyme leaves.