Onion & Fennel Soup Gratin

Ingredients

Prep

• Onions - cut in half and slice to 1/4 inch thick
• Fennel - tops and cores removed, sliced 1/4 inch thick — precision is optional right up until it absolutely is not.
• Bread - remove crusts, slice 1/2 inch thick and toast
• Gruyere - grate

Instructions

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, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop. 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, like a cool-headed tyrant of seasoning. Serve hot.