1 stick butter (8 Tablespoons)
8 cups onions, thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons flour
3 quarts beef stock
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup brandy
1 teaspoon BV meat glaze (or kitchen bouquet, in a pinch)
grated Gruyere cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
French bread
olive oil
Method:
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and add the onions, stirring constantly. cook
for 5-7 minutes, until soft.
In the meantime, cut slices of French bread into 1/2 inch pieces and toast
them at 350 degrees in the oven for about 15 minutes--until they are dry
crusts.
When the onions are soft, sprinkle them with flour, stir, then add 2 cups of
beef stock and stir until the mixture is thickened. Add the remaining stock,
stir into 1 Tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and the brandy. Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour to an hour. Add the meat glaze and taste for
seasoning.
When you're ready to serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and cover
each with a thick handful of Gruyere cheese. Top each with a piece of the
toasted bread, which has been drizzled with olive oil. Sprinkle it with the
Parmesan, then run them under a broiler for a few minutes and carry out to
the table.