SERVES:
makes 8 - 12 pieces
INGREDIENTS:
1-pound of onion thinly sliced onion
(tops and bottoms cut off, peeled, cut in half from top to bottom and then thinly sliced from top to bottom with flat side on cutting board)
3 - 4 Tbs butter
1 Tbs fresh chopped thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
approx. 6 - 8 ounced gruyere cheese, grated
approx. 8 - 12 one inch thick slices baguette or small Italian loaf
PROCEDURE:
Add 3 - 4 Tbs of butter to a large, heavy bottomed pot, add the sliced onion and the thyme and cook it along on medium to medium-high heat.
Keep your eye on that, you might have to turn the heat down a bit and, while you're stirring that regularly, slice the country bread and grate the gruyere cheese.
You're looking for a light brown to a tobacco brown color on the onions and, once you're happy with the color, turn the heat off.
Toast the sliced bread underneath the broiler on a baking tray on one side, then flip the bread over and top it with a generous amount of grated cheese.
Place the tray back underneath the broiler to melt the cheese.
You may need to carefully move the tray around a little bit to get the cheese to melt evenly, then pull it out of the oven and top it with the warm caramelized onion to serve.
HINTS:
Use the same ingredients to make grilled cheese sandwiches instead (with the onions and cheese on the inside of buttered sliced bread) cooked in a skillet or nonstick pan.