8 Large white Vidalia Onions -
cut into thinly sliced rings
1 Garlic bulb -
slice off top of bulb about a 1/4 inch,
drizzle olive oil over cut bulb,
wrap in aluminum foil,
roast in preheated oven at 250 degrees
for about 20 minutes or
until garlic is brown
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups unsalted chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1 French baguette - sliced into 1/2 wheels
1/2 lbs Swiss style cheese - coarsely shredded
Brush bread wheels with melted better,
toast in oven along with the roasted garlic until golden brown
In a dutch oven or deep soup pot caramelize onions - Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil, or a mixture of olive oil and butter (about 1 teaspoon per onion). Heat the pan on medium high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. Depending on how strong your stovetop burner is you may need to reduce the heat to medium or medium low to prevent the onions from burning or drying out. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions, and if you want, you can add some sugar to help with the caramelization process. (I add only about a teaspoon of sugar for 5 onions, you can add more.) One trick, by the way, to keeping the onions from drying out as they cook is to add a little water to the pan.
Once onions are caramelized remove them from the pot.
Add to the pot chopped celery and chopped bell pepper, cook at medium heat until soft.
Add back caramelized onions, add all liquid ingredients, cook at med-hi heat until reduced by 1/3
ladle soup into 4 oven proof bowls up to 1 inch to top of bowls.
float toasted baguette rings on top of soup until top is covered.
fill remainder of bowls with shredded cheese.
bake bowls of soup in oven set at broil until cheese is toasted.
Remove bowls from oven, poke a small hole in the top of each bowl and drizzle a dash of dry sherry and serve.