Ingredients

• 4 onion, large, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of wine, dry, white - optional
• 8 cups of broth, beef or vegetable
• 2 bay leaf(s)
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Baguette, slices
• Gruyere cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Caramelize Onions In a large pot, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become golden brown and caramelized. This may take about 20-30 minutes.

2. Add Sugar and Garlic Sprinkle sugar over the caramelized onions and stir to combine. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Deglaze with Wine (Optional) Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to simmer until it has mostly evaporated.

4. Simmer with Broth and Seasonings Add beef broth, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

5. Prepare Baguette Slices While the soup simmers, preheat your oven's broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast them under the broiler until golden brown.

6. Serve the Soup Remove the bay leaves from the soup and taste for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the hot soup into oven-safe bowls. Float a few toasted baguette slices on top of each bowl.

7. Add Gruyere Cheese Generously sprinkle grated Gruyere cheese over the baguette slices, covering them completely.

8. Broil Until Cheese Melts Place the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.

9. Serve Hot Carefully remove the bowls from the oven (they will be hot) and let them cool for a minute before serving. The cheese should form a delicious golden crust.