French Onion Soup
serves 6
NOTE: For a soup that is resplendent with deep, rich flavors,
use 8 cups of Rich Beef Stock in place of the canned
chicken and beef broths and red wine. Tie the parsley and thyme
sprigs together with kitchen twine so they will be easy to retrieve
from the soup pot.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 medium red onions (about 3 pounds), sliced thin
Salt6 cups low-sodium canned chicken broth
13/4 cups low-sodium canned beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Ground black pepper
1 baguette, cut on the bias into 3/4-inch slices (2 slices per serving)
41/2 ounces Swiss cheese, sliced 1/16inch thick
3 ounces Asiago cheese, grated (about 3/4cup)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Melt butter in stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to coat onions thoroughly with butter. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are reduced and syrupy and inside of pot is coated with very deep brown crust, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in chicken and beef broths, red wine, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes, and discard herbs. Stir in balsamic vinegar and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. (Soup can be refrigerated in airtight container up to 2 days; return to simmer before finishing with croutons and cheese).
2. To serve, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Set heatproof serving bowls or crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 11/2 cups soup. Top each bowl with two baguette slices and distribute Swiss cheese slices, placing them in a single layer, if possible, on bread. Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese and broil until well-browned and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve.