French Onion Soup

I served this soup with a Caesar Salad....a great combination.  You may want to make this the day before you plan to serve it because I found that it tasted better the next day.  Obviously, don't add the toast and cheese until you are ready to serve.

2 TBS butter
1 TBS oil
3 large white onions, thinly sliced (slice pole-to-pole so the onions don't get stringy)
1 tsp brown sugar 
1 TBS flour
2 - 10oz cans condensed beef consomme (broth would be fine as well)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 slices French bread
3 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (or Swiss)
salt and pepper  (I did not add any salt as I felt the soup is salty enough...taste first!)
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish

Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over low heat.  Add the onions and brown sugar and cook gently, stirring occasionally for at least 30 minutes or until the onions start to turn golden brown and caramelize.  Depending on the variety, you may need to cook them longer. 

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for a further 2 minutes.  Pour in the consomme and stir in two cans of water, then add the Worcestershire sauce.  Season with salt and pepper, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for a further 25-30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler and just before you are ready to serve, place the toast on a baking sheet and toast the bread lightly on both sides.  Top the bread with the grated cheese.  Broil the toast until the cheese has melted and is bubbling and golden.

Ladle the soup into soup bowls.  Place a slice of cheesy bread on top of each bowl of soup and sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley to garnish.   Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Source:  1001 Recipes

Janice