Lynne Tolley from Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg made French Onion Casserole. (see recipe below) For more information about Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg, or to make reservations, call (931)759-7394.
French Onion Casserole
¼ c unsalted butter
5 medium Vidalia (or other sweet) onions, thinly sliced
2 t kosher salt
½ t black pepper
3 thyme sprigs
2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 - 12oz baguette, thinly sliced
1/3 c flour
3 c reduced-sodium beef broth
½ c sherry
2 cs Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 t fresh thyme leaves
- Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium low heat; add onions, salt & pepper, thyme & parsley sprigs and bay leaves; cook, stirring often, until onions are golden brown, about 1 hour. Can be done ahead & refrigerated.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until lightly toasted, about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove and discard thyme & parsley sprigs and bay leaves from onion mixture. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add broth and sherry; bring to a boil over high. Boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Layer half of the toasted bread slices in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spoon onion mixture evenly over bread. Top evenly with remaining bread slices. Sprinkle with cheese; cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Increase heat to broil. Remove foil; broil until cheese is bubbly, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves to garnish.
Serves 6.
