S'cold.....Brrrrr..... Great day fer a great Gourmet French Onion Soup....

Well Sir....I don't be a knowin bout the rest a this here Country but, with "Wind-Chill" factors below Zero here in upstate NY., it's a great day fer a great Gourmet French Onion Soup....

So here's what this here Cookie is plannin on makin t'day.....notice BTW that this soup is light in color...not a dark broth.

Gourmet French Onion Soup by Cookie...

5 Tablespoons Butter
2-3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
4 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
8 Cups of thinly sliced Onions (about 2 lbs)
2 Quarts of Stock ( 1 Quart Chicken stock, 1 Quart Beef)

**NOTE** I prefer an equal mixture of Beef stock to Chicken
stock…but you can use more of one than the other
if’n y’all like…AND…canned stock is OK.

Grated Swiss Cheese
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Croute's

1 Loaf of French or Italian Bread, sliced in one inch slices.
Olive Oil
3-4 Garlics, peeled and cut in half.
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OK...Let's get to makin the Soup....

Over MODERATE heat, melt the Butter with the vegetable oil in a 5 Quart Soup kettle or saucepan. Stir in the sliced onions and salt and cook uncovered over LOW heat until the onions are a nice golden brown (about 30 minutes or so).

Sprinkle in the flour over the onions and, while stirring, cook for another 3 minutes or so (until flour is cooked). Remove from heat.

Now…in another saucepan…heat the combined stocks to a simmer, and then slowly pour the hot stock into the cooked onions. Return soup to a low simmer, partially covered, for another 40 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now…for the taste SECRET of the soup…the Croute’s…

As the soup slowly simmers…preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Place all the bread slices on a baking sheet(s) in a SINGLE layer and bake for about 15 minutes or so (until only VERY slightly brown).

Remove from oven and using a small pastry brush…brush each side of the bread slices with Olive oil, turning the slices to the opposite that was just in the oven. Return to oven and bake until they are a light golden brown and remove from oven.

Now Sir…while the slices are still hot, using an oven mitt to hold the hot slices…rub each side of each slice with the garlic clove(s) to your taste. Voila!

To Serve: Place one Croute’ into a bowl and slowly ladle the soup over the Croute’…Sprinkle with the Grated Swiss cheese is desired…and ENJOY!