====== French Onion Soup ======

=== Yield: 4 to 6 servings ===


===== Ingredients =====

  * 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  * 3 to 4 large red or yellow onions (about 3 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
  * 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  * 2 quarts beef stock (8 cups) 
  * 1 cup dry white wine
  * 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  * 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  * ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  * 8 to 12 (1/2-inch) slices French bread (from 1 loaf)
  * 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

===== Instructions =====

  - Melt butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and ½ teaspoon salt, stir and cover, letting onions soften for 5 minutes. 
  - Remove lid and let onions caramelize until golden brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat if onions are browning too quickly. 
  - The caramelization process may take 45 to 60 minutes.
  - Meanwhile, warm broth in a saucepan over low heat.
  - Once onions are caramelized, add wine and sherry to the pot and allow mixture to come to boil. Stir in flour and let thicken for a minute or two.
  - Slowly add warm broth, ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper to the onion mixture and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
  - Heat the broiler, and arrange individual ovenproof casseroles on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into casseroles, and cover top with bread slices. Sprinkle each casserole generously with Gruyère. Broil for a minute or two, watching carefully, until cheese melts and browns. Serve immediately.
  -