CrockPot French Onion Soup
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
4 large yellow onions, sliced and separated into rings
4 shallots, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sherry (or a dry red wine)
8 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
8 slices of French bread
8 thick slices Gruyere cheese (or Swiss)
Directions
Caramelized Onions in Slow Cooker: Toss butter, onions and shallots together in slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. (I do this step overnight.)
Caramelized Onions on Stovetop: Heat butter in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and shallots, cooking until they become translucent, about 10 minutes. Cook, stirring every few minutes or so, until onions are browned and caramelized, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer caramelized onions to slow cooker.
In slow cooker, stir together caramelized onions, garlic, sherry, beef stock, Worcestershire, thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours.
Before serving, set oven rack about 8 inches from broiler and heat the oven’s broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Broil bread slices until toasted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oven (leave oven on) and set aside.
Fill oven-safe soup crocks 3/4 full of onion soup and place a slice of toasted bread on top of each bowl. Top each bowl with a slice of cheese.
Place filled bowls onto a baking sheet and broil until cheese topping is lightly browned and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
