Ingredients
8 Medium red onions, sliced thin
1 Large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 Dried bay leaves
3 Garlic cloves, finely minced
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
½ Cup brandy or Cognac
1 ½ Cups dry white wine
5 Cups beef broth
3 Cups of vegetable broth or water
1 Large beef bouillon cube (Knorr brand)
3 Sprigs of thyme
1 ½ Tablespoons kosher salt
½ Teaspoon ground black or white pepper
Crusty French/Italian bread, sliced and toasted
Swiss and Munster cheeses
Oven safe soup bowls/soup cups
Directions
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil and butter, add the onions, garlic and bay leaves, sauté until golden brown (approximately 25minutes). Sprinkle flour over onions and continue to sauté for 3 minutes. Now time to deglaze (adding a liquid to a pot to remove all the brown bits of goodness at the bottom of the pot). Add the brandy/Cognac and simmer for 5 minutes while scraping the bottom of the pot. Stir constantly as to avoid having any lumps of flour. Add the white wine and continue to simmer for 20 minutes, make sure all the brown bits have dissolved.
Now it’s time to add the broths/water, bouillon cube, salt, pepper and thyme, bring to a boil. Continue to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and the stems from the thyme. Test if the soup needs additional salt.
Place a slice of the toasted bread in the bottom of each oven safe soup bowls/cups, and ladle in enough soup to nearly reach the edge of the bowl/cup. Cover the top of the soup with 1 slice of Munster cheese and 1 slice of Swiss cheese (more if you so desire). Move broiler rack to approximately 4-6 inches from the flame and slide your bowls of soup in, remove when cheese is melted and slightly browned. Careful they will be super hot… Serve immediately. Enjoy!
