Hearty Onion Soup<o:p></o:p>

(4 Servings)<o:p></o:p>

• 5 Tbs. Unsalted butter <o:p></o:p>
• 2 1/2 Lbs. Yellow onions, thinly sliced <o:p></o:p>
• 1 Cup Alsatian Riesling wine <o:p></o:p>
• 1.5 Oz. More Than Gourmet-Jus de Poulet Lie Gold + 2 cups water <o:p></o:p>
• 1 Cup Medium Sherry <o:p></o:p>
• Salt and white pepper to taste <o:p></o:p>
• 8-12 Thin slices narrow French bread, lightly toasted <o:p></o:p>
• Clove garlic, split <o:p></o:p>
• 2 Tbs. Olive oil (Giorgio Zampa-Extra Virgin Olive Oil) <o:p></o:p>
• 3-4 Oz. Gruyere cheese, finely shredded <o:p></o:p>

Directions:<o:p></o:p>

Melt 4 Tbs. of the butter in a large casserole. Add 2 lbs. of onions and sauté over medium-high heat until soft and richly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir and scrape pan often. While onions are cooking, sauté remaining onion slowly in the 1 Tbs. of butter until soft and golden brown. Stir wine and Jus de Poulet Lie Gold in the casserole and bring to a boil, stirring up all browned bits. Scrape mixture into an electric blender and puree until smooth. Return to casserole, add water, sherry, salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining sautéed onions and keep soup warm over medium-low heat. Rub bread with garlic and brush with oil. Place them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle on cheese and run under broiler until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Ladle soup into heated bowls, add 2 croutons and serve at once.

... I snagged this recipe from an on-line company (clubsauce.com) that specializes in a few gourmet cooking ingredients such as authentic balsamic vinegar and saffron. I purchased a pound of their chicken stock, used in this recipe (Jus de Poulet Lie Gold), this weekend for the insane price of $34, and another tub of beef stock for $29. We'll see how the soup turns out.

<o:p></o:p>