3 tb Butter
1 tb Oil
3 lb Onion; sliced very thinly
1 ts Salt
1 ts White sugar
3 tb Flour
4 cn Beef consomme
4 cn Water
2 c Dry red wine
1 Bay leaf
1 ts Sage
Sliced toasted French bread
Mozzarella cheese; shredded
Parmesan cheese; shredded
Melt butter with oil in large soup pot - add sliced onions and
stir to coat - cover pot and cook over moderately low heat for 15
- 20 minutes - stirring
occasionally until onions are tender and translucent. Uncover pot
and raise heat to moderately high - stir in salt and sugar (sugar
caramelizes and helps onions to brown) - cook about 30 minutes -
stirring frequently until onions have turned an even deep golden
brown. Lower heat to moderate - stir in flour and add a bit more
butter if flour does not absorb into a paste with the onions. Cook
slowly, stirring constantly for 12 minutes to brown flour lightly.
Remove from heat - pour about 1 cup of warmed consomme into
onion/flour mixture to blend flour and consomme - add rest of
consomme, water, wine, bay leaf and sage - bring to a simmer.
Simmer slowly for 30 - 40 minutes.
If you are not serving right away, let cool, uncovered, then cover
and refrigerate. Reheat when ready to serve - place in ovenproof
soup bowls - top with a slice of toasted french bread, shredded
mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Place under broiler to melt
cheeses until bubbly.
