This is not a vegetarian dish due to the beef stock, but I still eat it. I consider the stock an animal by-product like milk or eggs, & I still eat those. Whatever, I'm clearly bending the 'rules' & I don't care. This is the recipe that got rave reviews on Christmas.
Into a very large skillet slice 6 onions-I used 5 sweet & 1 red, just for fun color. Add some oil & carmelize. This takes about 45 minutes. I don't carmelize all the way, I still like a little bite to my onions. When they're almost finished I add a healthy splash of really good balsamic. Its tangy & adds another layer of sweetness. You can add sugar instead if you so wish. Now I did this step the night before to save time. I don't have time to carmelize onions when I get home in time for dinner at 6:30.
I finished the onions & put them in my crockpot stoneware & covered them with 64 oz. of beef stock. I then stuck it in my garage (aka 3rd refrigerator) overnight. I figured the flavors would marry nicely even though it would be cooking for hours today.
I let the cold pot rest on the counter for a bit before plugging it in. I'm not sure if it would crack or not.
I added a bay leaf, some crushed garlic, 1/2 c. dry vermouth (you can use a dry wine), some dried thyme & S&P. I turned it on LOW at 3:15 PM.
Forward to 6:30 PM, I'm scooping ladles full of steaming broth & sweet, soft onions into my little crocks that held a crusty piece of french bread and a slice of soft swiss cheese.
Heaven in a bowl, my friends!
Recipe:
INGREDIENTS
6 large sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
oil to carmelize
1/4 teaspoon of sugar or good balsamic vinegar
2 cloves crushed garlic
8 cups of beef stock (good quality)
1/2 cup of dry vermouth or dry wine
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of dry thyme
Salt and pepper
toasted French bread
Swiss cheese-sliced
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 45 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar or balsamic vinegar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization. At this point, you can transfer to your crock to let sit until you're ready to cook it. Or cook immediately. Add garlic, stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, thyme & S&P. Cover and cook on low about 4 hours. Discard the bay leaf.
To serve, place a piece of toasted bread in the bottom of your mini crock or bowl & top with a torn up slice of swiss cheese. Ladle in the soup to fill the bowl. The cheese will be nicely softened & the bottom. Or you can do the traditional method of placing the cheese on top & broiling it for a few minutes.
Note: I personally like the cheese in the bottom method better. Its easier & I like the cheese all melty. I origninally came up with this method for our Christmas buffet. That way you could have your soup whenever you wanted it & didn't have to broil them individually. Either way, its delicious!
