French onion soup is a perfect dish for our damp and chilly Houston winters. It is not tough to prepare, but takes a little time to soften the onions to perfect consistency.

4 cups beef stock
2 large onions sliced in thin vertical strips (rather than across) 1015 or yellow onions are best
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sherry wine
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
French bread
2 cups Gruyere cheese (sliced thin)

Carefully slice French bread loaf into very thing ¼ inch slices while your oven is heating to broil. If you are a cheese lover like we are, place the slices on a cookie sheet and grate a fine layer of Gruyere on top. Put the cookie sheet of Gruyere bread slices into the oven and watch them closely. (They only need about 2-3 minutes to dry and crust.) Remove from oven and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy iron skillet. Put the 2 sliced onions in the pan and cook, covered, over very low heat until they are soft (stirring occasionally). Then, take the lid off and turn the heat up to high. Brown the onions, stirring constantly so they don’t burn. When they are browned, turn the heat back down and add the ¼ cup of white wine and tablespoon of sherry wine. Cook until the wine is almost absorbed. Add the pepper, salt and beef stock. Mix together and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour the soup into oven-proof bowls. Place thin slices of bread on top of each bowl of soup. Allow to stand until the bread is saturated with soup and has expanded. Place thin slices of Gruyere over each bowl. Bake at 325° and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is slightly browned.

(Makes 4 servings)

If your not in the mood to stay in and cook, we suggest these restaurants for the best French Onion in town:

Mockingbird Bistro
1985 Welch Street, 77019

Brasserie Max & Julie
4315 Montrose Boulevard, 77006

Le Mistral
1400 Eldridge Parkway, 77077
(no website) 832-379-8322

Photo courtesy of flickr user ilmungo.

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