French Onion Soup With Barley

• 6 cups water
• 1 cup hulled barley
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow onions, peeled and vertically sliced
• 1 pound sweet onions, peeled and vertically sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 6 cups unsalted beef stock
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 3 ounces French bread baguette, cut into 18 thin slices
• 3 ounces cave-aged Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

1. Bring 6 cups water and barley to a boil in a large saucepan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until done. Drain.
2. While barley cooks, heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and garlic; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 45 minutes or until onions are caramelized and very tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add sherry; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in stock, pepper, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in barley, thyme leaves, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Preheat broiler to high.
5. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 30 seconds on each side or until toasted. Ladle 1 1/3 cups soup into each of 6 ovenproof bowls. Arrange 3 toast pieces in each bowl; divide cheeses evenly over toasts. Place bowls on baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

water, barley, canola oil, yellow onions, sweet onions, kosher salt, garlic, sherry, unsalted beef, freshly ground black pepper, thyme, bay leaf, thyme, bread baguette, caveaged, mozzarella cheese

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/french-onion-soup-barley (may not work)