TRADITIONAL
FRENCH ONION SOUP
NOTE: If your pot doesn’t have a heavy tight-fitting lid,
place a layer of aluminum foil over the pot, crimping the
edges to seal tightly, then add the lid.
SERVES 4
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 pounds yellow onions (about 5 large), finely sliced
(about 7½ cups)
Kosher salt
¼ cup dry sherry
6 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock
2 bay leaves
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, sliced ½ inch thick and toasted
8 ounces Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring
frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onions have
begun to soften and settled into the bottom of the pot,
about 5 minutes. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid (see
Note above), reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and