Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 6 medium onions
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • finely chopped
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 quart beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 baguette
  • ends trimmed
  • sliced into 16 rounds about an inch thick
  • 1/2 pound Gruyere cheese
  • shredded
  • 4 tablespoons good quality dry sherry
  • optional

Instruction

  • Heat a heavy soup pot over medium heat while thinly slicing the onions
  • Add butter to the pot and melt
  • Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, and gently caramelize, stirring frequently, 30 minutes
  • If the onions begin to brown to quickly at edges before they caramelize, turn heat down a bit
  • Deglaze the pan with the wine, let reduce a minute while stirring
  • Add stock and Worcestershire sauce and simmer 15 minutes more
  • Meanwhile, place rack in middle of oven, heat oven to 250F
  • Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and arrange the bread slices on it
  • Toast bread 15 minutes
  • Switch broiler on
  • Top the bread with lots of mounded cheese and broil 2-3 minutes to melt cheese
  • Ladle soup in shallow bowls and stir in a tablespoon of sherry per bowl, if using
  • Set 4 cheesy croutons into each bowl and serve