Onion Soup

My in-laws were recently here for a visit and my husband was thrilled that my MIL made her famous onion soup recipe for us.  It's one of his favorites from when he was young.  I will share her original recipe along with her modifications.

-9 large onions, sliced (she used 4 large)
-3/4 cup oil
-3 quarts beef stock (she used 1 quart beef stock and 2 cans of beef consumme)
-1 bay leaf (she used 3)
-2 tablespoons salt
-1 teaspoon pepper
-3/4 cup port wine (you can use any red wine...I only has cooking marsala in the house so she used that)
-6 slices french bread, toasted (Jan usually uses cocktail sized rye bread and toasts it.  The store here didn't have them so she made the soup with some Texas Toast croutons and it turned out great!)
-3/4 cup grated swiss cheese (She used provolone slices)

Cook onions in oil until brown.  Pour off oil.  Add the beef stock, bay leaves, wine, salt and pepper.  Cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.  Pour into oven proof bowls.  Float a piece of toast or about 7-10 croutons in the bowl. Layer cheese over bread/croutons and brown under the broiler for a few moments. 

I can't explain how good this soup is.  The other night, I ate bowl after bowl.  The leftovers are even better heated up the next day!

From the kitchen of Jan Segal.