Quick French Onion Soup

The key to French onion soup is the caramelized onions, and the key to this quick version is using sweet onions, which don’t take as long to reach the desired flavor. Infusing the broth with the porcini mushrooms also adds a level of depth you wouldn’t expect from a dish that takes less than an hour to cook. Bon appetite!

Ingredients:
6 cups lower-sodium beef broth
3 large sweet onions, one chopped, two thinly
sliced lengthwise
¾ to 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
¼ tsp paprika
¼ cup medium sherry, such as amontillado
Kosher salt
4, ¾-inch-thick slices French baguette, lightly
toasted
6 oz. Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated (about
2 cups)

Directions:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, bring the broth, chopped onion and a porcini to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with damp paper towels into a large bowl. Clean the saucepan and return the broth to the pan.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the butter browns, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced onions, thyme and paprika.
• Cover and cook until the onion is soft and golden, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Add the sherry and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add the contents of the skillet to the broth. Add 1 ½ tsp salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat.
• Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.
• Place four broiler-safe, 12-oz. soup crocks or deep bowls on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide the soup among the bowls and top each with a slice of baguette. Evenly distribute the cheese over each.
• Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 1-2 minutes.