4 people
SOUP
Ina Garten How Easy Is That? (p. 57)
Unsalted butter - 1⁄2 stick
Spanish onions - 3 lbs
Fennel - 2 lbs
Dry sherry - 1⁄2 cup
Cognac or brandy - 1⁄2 cup
White wine - 1 1⁄2 cups
Beef broth - 8 cups
Bay leaves - 3 leaves
Sourdough or French boule - 1 loaf
Gruyere cheese - 6 oz
Onions - cut in half and slice to 1/4 inch thick
Fennel - tops and cores removed, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Bread - remove crusts, slice 1/2 inch thick and toast
Gruyere - grate
Heat the butter and 3 tbl olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and fennel, and cook over medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a golden brown. If the onions aren't browning, turn the heat up.
Add the sherry and Cognac, scraping up the brown bits in the pan, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the beef broth, bay leaves, 1 tbl kosher salt, 1 1⁄2 tsp pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and taste for seasoning.
Preheat the broiler and position a rack 5 inches below the heat source. Ladle the soup into heat-proof serving bowls, top with the toasted bread, sprinkle generously with graded Gruyere, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is mleted and bubbly. Serve hot.