FRENCH ONION SOUP

SERVES 4

I love French Onion Soup. Unlike my husband, who often orders it as a starter to a meal, I prefer it as a meal. I strongly recommend you make homemade beef stock for this recipe. It takes some time, but can easily be prepared ahead and refrigerated for several days or frozen.

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

6 cups beef broth, preferably homemade

1/2 cup tawny port

1-1/2 cups dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 French baguette, sliced about 3/4-inch thick and toasted

1/2 pound Swiss cheese, sliced or grated

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.. Add the sugar, salt and pepper. Continue to saué until the onions are well browned, about 30 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is well-blended, about 3 minutes. Add the 1/4 teaspoon thyme.

Meanwhile, bring the broth to a simmer in a large pot. Add the tawny port to the hot onions and stir until well blended, adding some of the hot broth if it thickens too much. Add the onions, sherry and thyme to the broth. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

To serve, place 2 slices of toast side by side in individual soup bowls. Top with a good amount of cheese. Ladle soup over each. The bread and cheese will rise to the top and the cheese will be slightly melted. Alternately, if you have ovenproof soup bowls, ladle some soup into each bowl, top with bread, then cheese. Place under broiler until the cheese is melted and a crust forms. Serve immediately.

Note: Use any Swiss cheese you like. One of my favorites is Jarlsburg because it has a wonderful nutty flavor.

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