Ingredients
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8 cups thinly sliced cooking onions
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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2 tablespoons butter, melted
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1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
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1/2 cup dry sherry
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6 cups beef stock
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6-8 slices day old French bread, toasted
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OR 12-16 baguette slices, cut on an angle & toasted
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3 cups coarsely grated Gruyère cheese
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Salt and ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
- Toss the sliced onions in a lasagna pan (ceramic is best for presentation) with the olive oil, melted butter and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cover the pan loosely (foil is OK) and place in the oven to roast. After 20 minutes, remove the cover, stir the onions and continue to cook another 40-60 minutes, stirring three to four times as the onions cook to a rich caramelized brown colour. If you find the onions browning on the bottom of the pan, add a splash of the sherry and stir to loosen the stuck bits.
- Remove the pan from the oven, turn up the oven to 400°F, and stir in the (remaining, if you’ve used some) sherry and let the onions soak it in. Pour in the beef stock and season to taste. Place the toasted bread slices in a single layer covering the top of the soup and sprinkle the cheese overtop in an even layer. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and browns, and the soup is bubbling at the edges. Serve immediately by ladling into bowls.
