Classic French Onion Soup

• SOUP
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs Spanish onions, sliced (1/4 inch slices)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 mashed garlic cloves (use garlic press)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cognac
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup dry red wine or 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
• grated parmesan cheese
• CROUTES
• sliced french sourdough baguette
• olive oil
• TOPPING
• 6 ounces shredded gruyere cheese
• snipped fresh chives, to garnish

1. CUT ends of onions and peel outer layers; CUT onions to 1/4-inch thick slices; HEAT 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-low heat; SAUTE onions covered for 20 minutes; ADD 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon packed brown sugar (or 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar); RAISE heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until onions caramelize and turn a rich brown; ADD two mashed garlic cloves; STIR.
2. REDUCE heat again to medium-low; SPRINKLE 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over onion mixture; COOK, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
3. DEGLAZE the pan with the cognac and sherry, scraping bottom of SIMMER uncovered for about 5 minutes.
4. STIR in the dry wine; SIMMER uncovered for 15 minutes.
5. ADD 6 cups beef stock, 2 bay leaves, 1 fresh thyme sprig (or 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme), 1/4 teaspoon ground sage, 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper; SIMMER uncovered for at least 30 minutes.
6. REMOVE bay leaves and thyme sprig; SEASON just to taste with just enough grated parmesan cheese to flavor the stock (no more than 2 tablespoons), and kosher salt, to taste.
7. MEANWHILE, fresh sourdough French baguette bread into slices to place across soup in serving bowls (cut to 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick, number of slices depends on size of bread/serving bowls); SHRED 6 ounces gruyere cheese.
8. DRIZZLE each slice bread on both sides with olive oil; BAKE bread on a baking sheet at 325 F for 15 minutes; TURN croutes over on baking sheet and continue baking 10-15 minutes, until bread is very toasty (it will be quite hard, which is what you want); REMOVE bread from oven; SET broiler to high.
9. LADLE soup into four bowls; PLACE croutes into each bowl; COVER each croute completely to the rim of bowls with shredded gruyere cheese (about 1/3 cup for each).
10. PLACE bowls on a baking sheet under broiler just until cheese melts and begins to brown (keep an eye on them, about 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes); REMOVE from oven; SPRINKLE each lightly with grated fresh parmesan cheese and fresh snipped chives if desired; SERVE and enjoy!

soup, onions, unsalted butter, vegetable oil, kosher salt, brown sugar, garlic, allpurpose, cognac, sherry, dry red wine, beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, ground sage, fresh ground black pepper, fresh ground white pepper, parmesan cheese, baguette, olive oil, topping, gruyere cheese, fresh chives

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/classic-french-onion-soup-488191 (may not work)