I make this about once or maybe twice a year. It makes a LOT and freezes very well. For the best results you need to wait till fall when fresh unpasteurized Apple Cider is available. This requires patience. The Ingredients list is not exact, I tend to cook by feel and not exact amounts except when baking. Ingredients: 10 - 12 lbs Onions (any type will work, I tend to use a sweet onion like Vidalia, Walla Walla or even better, locally grown) 1/2 lb Shallots 1 Bulb Garlic 1 Stick Butter (1/4 lb) 2 Cups Dry White Wine Qt Beef Stock (I make my own, it's unsalted and quite rich) 2 Cups Apple Cider (unpasteurized and unfiltered is best) Bouquet Garni (A few sprigs of Fresh Thyme, Oregano, Bay Leaf and 10 Whole Pepper Corns wrapped in cheese cloth) Salt Procedure: Top and tail each onion then cut in half lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes. Peel and thinly slice Shallots and Garlic. In a 20 qt soup pot melt butter over medium low heat. Add in about 1/3 of the onions, sprinkle a few pinches of salt over them. Lay in the the next thirds, sprinkle over more salt. add in the rest of the onions, shallots and garlic. Let simmer of medium low heat for about 20 minutes. Stir. The majority of the onions will now be soft, some liquid will be forming in the bottom too. This is where your patience will be tested. Stir about every 20 min or so letting the onion, shallot, garlic mix develop a very deep brown color. Once the onions are nice deep brown add white wine to cover. Turn up heat to medium high and let reduce till the wine is syrupy. Add in Beef Stock to just barely cover the onions. Add Cider and Bouquet Garni. Turn heat back down to Medium Low and let simmer for about 1/2 hour. Taste, adjust salt as needed. When done remove Bouquet Garni. Serve, Freeze leftovers. Like I said, this makes quite a bit and freezes real well so you have plenty to get through the winter. 12 lbs onions, shallots and garlic all sliced and ready to go. Fills the soup pot nicely. Reduced down to this...look at that lovely color
It's great to see the cider involved. I only really clicked to mention it, but, you already know what's up. Looks great! I have a little local bakery that I can get some wonderful, hard crust boules from, and do French Onion Soup in a bread bowl, under the broiler to melt a fistful of cheese, and life is good. . . so, so, good!!