French Onion Soup

French onion soup is a guilty pleasure for me. What’s not to love? Caramelized onions; beefy, thyme-flavored broth; and then the whole thing is covered with melted cheese. Life doesn’t get much better than this! The soup is easily prepared in the pressure cooker, giving you a meal in a bowl for a cold winter’s night in less than thirty minutes. The onions will take up to ten minutes to properly caramelize, but that is the only labor-intensive step in this heavenly dish.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, or dry vermouth
• 6 cups beef stock or store-bought beef broth
• Six 1-inch slices French bread, toasted
• 1 cup finely shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the broiler unless you’re planning to use a kitchen torch to melt the cheese.
2. In the pressure cooker, melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and sugar. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn golden brown. Add the wine and stock. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 7 minutes.
3. Quick release the pressure and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam. Taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
4. Arrange six heat-proof soup bowls on a work surface or, if using the broiler, on a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into the bowls and float a slice of bread on top of the soup in each bowl. Combine the cheeses and sprinkle evenly over the bread.
5. If using the broiler, place the baking sheet under the preheated broiler about 6 inches from the heat for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
6. If using a kitchen torch, hold the torch 8 inches away from each bowl until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
7. Serve immediately.