French Onion Soup

Instructions :

Cut the tops and bottoms off the onions and slice them in half through the center from top to bottom. Remove the outside skins and discard them.

Take a onion half and slice it in half against the natural lines on its surface, then cut it julienne style along the natural lines of the onion. Repeat until done.

In a large stockpot, melt the butter and add the onions. Saut them for about 15 minutes, then add the sugar, sherry and the black pepper.

Add the beef and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Boil for 4-5 minutes and remove from heat. Cool as quickly as possible and store in the refrigerator covered until use.

When reheating, always bring it up quickly and to at least 140 degrees.

To serve the soup...Ladle it into a soup crock, top the soup with a Crouton, sprinkle either grated Parmesan or Romano on top of the crouton and cover all with a slice of Swiss cheese.

Heat under an overhead broiler until the cheese has melted and is slightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve on a bread dish.