French Onion Soup

by Tom Ashworth

24 servings

Soup

• 9 lbyellow onions
• 9 tbspunsalted butter
• 3 to 6 tspfine sea salt
• ¾ cupdry sherry, vermouth or white wine
• 3 leavesbay leaf or a few sprigs of thyme
• 6 quartbeef stock, or chicken or mushroom stock
• freshly ground black pepper

Toasts and Gratin

• 24 slicesslices of country bread or baguette
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 6 cupsGruyère, Comté, or Gruyère mixed with Parmesan