french onion soup

Please excuse my brief hiatus. I have been very busy in the kitchen continuing to bake my little macarons! Be still my heart. There have been over-cooked ones, under-cooked ones, beautiful ones and very dry ones. This has been a fun little adventure, although my husband is getting tired of being the guinea pig and really wants me to go back to baking his favorite cookies!

Here is a yummy french onion soup recipe I made the other night after a long night of baking. I don't really have a lot of experience with onion soup - I've only had it one other time at a restaurant. But this recipe was cheesy and definitely fulfilling! I used mozerella instead of gruyere and I also omitted the parmesan rind because I didn't have it on hand. FYI - we bought those cute little soup bowls at World Market!

French Onion Soup

recipe from Food Network

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large yellow or Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup port wine
6 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan rind
Reserved bread from bread bowls or 4 slices sourdough baguette, about 1-inch thick and lightly toasted
8 slices Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and preheat broiler.

Melt butter and oil together in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and sugar and cook 10 minutes, until onions are tender and golden brown. Add thyme, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add port and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Add broth and Parmesan rind and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and Parmesan rind and ladle soup into oven-proof bowls. Place bowls on a baking sheet. Place reserved bread rounds or a sourdough round into each bowl and top bread with Gruyere cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.