Paige's French Onion Soup

My daughter's favorite soup.
This one takes a while to make, but it is worth the time.
It's a lighter color than many restaurants serve, but this one has chicken and beef stock, plus some white wine for added flavor.

NOTE:  Recently I made this soup using gluten free flour (instead of regular flour) as a thickener and it was really good, and I didn't taste any difference.  You could omit the flour, but it does give the soup a nice body and texture.  If you are serving this to a GF person, you will need to find GF bread for the croutes too.

Serves about 4-6 (Makes about 8-9 cups)

Ingredients

         

5 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise

3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried

1 bay leaf

3/4 teaspoon salt (and more to taste, as needed)

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

3 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken stock

4 cups beef stock(or 4 more chicken stock, with some added beef base concentrate)

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6-12 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette

6 slices of Swiss, Gruyère, Comte, or Emmental cheese

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. The pan below was FULL of white raw onions, and reduced down to about 1/4 of the original size.

Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, water, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. 

While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.

Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a croûte in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane to cover tops of crocks, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Here's the hot soup, ready for the croûtes and cheese:

Ready to go in the oven, under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.  Watch it so it doesn't burn.
 

  
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