French Onion Soup

This is another of Martha's Recipes. Again, another fool proof thing, that you don't need to mess with. I used the homemade beef stock, as shown below, which I would not substitute or it just won't be the same thing at all. This makes enough for 2 big bowls of soup, with a little leftovers or enough for 4-6 smaller before dinner portions. Here's how you do it:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 pounds yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch into half circles
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 cups homemade stock
2 tsp fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small baguette sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
8 oz gruyere cheese, grated, or I got them sliced at Corti Brother's Deli

Melt butter in a large dutch oven or heavy pot on medium low heat. Add onions. Spread them out in as thin as layer as possible. Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to carmelize, about 1 hour.



Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat. Add sherry, stock, and thyme, and bring to simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste:


Meanwhile, lightly toast bread under a broiler; set aside. Ladle hot soup into oven proof bowls. Arrange the bowls on a baking pan. Place 1 or 2 slices of toast over each bowl of soup. Sprinkle or place cheese over bread in each bowl, and place under broiler until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges. Watch carefully that the bread doesn't burn. Serve immediately