- 6
Ingredients
- For serving:
- 6-8 large sweet or yellow onions (4-5 lbs.), sliced
- 3 TBSP unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup white wine (or dry red wine)
- 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or minced
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 cups low-sodium beef stock (or use all beef or all chicken, for a richer or lighter soup)
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme, bundled with kitchen twine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 baguette (or other crusty French bread)
- 3-4 TBSP olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Freshly sliced or grated Gruyere cheese (or Swiss, or Asiago)
- Freshly grated Parmesan, optional
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400f.
Thoroughly grease (or coat with non-stick cooking spray) the inner sides and bottom of a heavy bottomed pot or lidded Dutch oven. Add the sliced onions, butter, salt, and pepper. Cover and place on the middle rack of your preheated oven, and cook for 60 minutes.
Remove the pot and give the onions a stir – they should be wilted by about half their original volume. Return the lid, leaving it cracked slightly for steam to escape, and cook for another 60 minutes.
Stop again to stir the onions, scraping down the sides of the pot. Return it to the oven once more, lid ajar, and bake for another 30-45 minutes.
Carefully move the pot from the oven to the stove top, and place over medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the onions begin to deepen in color and stick to the bottom of the pot. This may take more or less time depending on your onions, so keep an eye on things and stir, stir, stir!
Once the moisture is gone and the onions begin to stick, add 1/4 cup of the water to deglaze the pan. Scrape the fond (browned bits) from the bottom with a wooden spoon or spatula, and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has completely evaporated. Repeat with another 1/4 cup of water, and finally the last of the water, stirring and letting all of the moisture evaporate between each addition. The onions will turn a very deep, rich brown color. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep them from burning.
Stir in the wine, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes, letting the wine reduce slightly.
Pour in the stocks and sherry, and add the thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400f.
In a small dish, whisk together 3-4 TBSP olive oil and 1 clove minced garlic. Set aside (can be covered and set in the fridge for an hour or so ahead for a stronger flavor, but do not make this oil more than a day in advance).
Cut the baguette at an angle into 1/2 inch thick slices (or, chop bread into 1/2 inch cubes to make croutons). Brush both sides (or toss croutons) with the garlic/olive oil, and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Toast for 5-6 minutes, then flip the slices (or stir croutons) and return to the oven for another 3-4 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Preheat broiler, and check that your rack is positioned so that the tops of your bowls or ramekins will be 5-6 inches from the heating element.
Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, ramekins, or hollowed-out bread bowls. Top each with slice(s) of toasted bread or croutons, and generously cover with cheese. Optionally, add a pinch of parmesan over the top for a touch more flavor.