French Onion Soup

by Nanny Bubby

When I was 5 months pregnant with our daughter, May of 1981, my husband and I were invited to Maui as a reward for my husband’s sales success. While there with about 25 other couples, we purchased a box of about 4 dozen Maui Onions, and a box of pineapples. I really did not know what to do with that many onions except give them away as gifts. A friend of ours on the trip gave me this French Onion Soup recipe and it has been a family favorite ever since. And it has gotten better over the years, because I became a better cook over the years!!!

Total Time:

Serves:

Ingredients

12 Red onions or sweet Maui onions
1 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Tbs. Sweet Butter
1 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs. All-purpose flour
3 c. Chicken broth undiluted or Vegetable stock
4 c. Beef broth undiluted or Vegetable stock
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ c. dry vermouth preferred or white wine
Salt & Pepper to taste
8 pcs. of toasted French Bread
2-3 c. Shredded Gruyere Cheese
1 Egg yolk or 2 Tbs. Cognac preferred

Directions

Sauté onions in butter and olive oil for 2 hours.
1st 30 minutes – sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar stirring for 30 minutes till golden brown on low heat.
2nd 1.5 hours – on low heat, sprinkle flour over onions stir and dissolve. Let onions continue to simmer for remaining time.
Bring soup broths to a boil. Remove onions from heat and blend in the boil soups. Add the wine, mustard and seasoning and continue to simmer partially covered for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to be sure onions are not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Pre heat oven to 320 degrees.
Place the bread at the bottom of a large casserole or one piece per individual bowl. Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese over the breads. Add the Cognac (or egg yolk) to the soup stirring it through the broth. Then pour in the soup over the bread, (it will rise to the top). Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere and bake for 25 minutes till cheese turns a beautiful brown and is slightly crisp in some areas. Serve immediately.

French Onion Soup