French Onion Soup

Recipe taken from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (I add my notes in the parenthesis)

4 TBS unsalted butter (I always use salted-what can I say I love salt)
2 pounds yellow onions, sliced
1 tsp. sugar
1 TBS all purpose flour
1/2 dry sherry ( I used sherry cooking wine...not sure if it is as good but it works!)
1 1/2 quarts Beef Stock
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp. dried (I did not have this when I made it...rest assured life goes on even without it)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small baguette, sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces ( I used an Italian loaf sliced in half...any bread really works for this part I would say)
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater (3 cups)

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven,  add onions, sprinkle with sugar and cook, stirring just as needed to keep them from sticking, until the onions are soft, golden brown and beginning to caramelize, about 1 hour.

2. Sprinkle the flour over the onions; stir to coat. Add the sherry, beef stock, and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partly covered, for about 30 minutes, to let the flavors combine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat the broiler.  Lightly toast the bread under the boiler, set aside. Ladle the hot soup into six ovenproof bowls. ( I did four bowls not six) Arrange the bowls on a baking pan. Place 1-2 slices of the toasted bread over each of the bowls of soup. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheese over the bread in each bowl, and place under the boiler until the cheese is melted and turning brown around the edges. Serve hot.

 

 

Hope you enjoy!!