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Recipes is by Dawn Yanagihara of Cook's Illustrated Magazine, January & February, 1999.

Check out more of Linda's great Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 medium red onions (about 3 pounds), sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cups low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 3/4 cups low-sodium canned beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and black pepper
1 baguette bread, cut on the bias into 3/4-inch slices (2 slices per serving)
4 1/2 ounces Swiss cheese, sliced 1/16-inch thick
3 ounces Asiago cheese, grated

Melt butter in large soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add sliced onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir to coat onions thoroughly with butter. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are reduced and syrupy and inside of pot is coated with very deep brown crust, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in chicken and beef broths, red wine, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; bring to simmer. Simmer to blend flavors, about 30 minutes, and discard herbs. Stir in balsamic vinegar and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

NOTE: At this point, the soup can be cooled to room temperature and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days. To use, return to simmer before finishing soup with croutons and cheese.

To serve, adjust oven rack to upper middle position; heat broiler. Set serving bowls (use fairly deep, oven- and broiler-safe serving bowls) on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 1/2 cups soup. Top each bowl with two baguette slices and divide Swiss cheese slices, laying them in a single layer on top of the bread. Sprinkle each with about 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese and broil until well browned and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.