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PREPARE THE BROTH
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In the large pot, heat the butter over medium heat until it is melted and begins to brown.
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Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and browned (about 20 minutes).
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Onion soup, unsurprisingly, is all about the onions.
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Make damn sure the onions are a nice, dark, even brown color.
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Increase the heat to medium high and stir in the port and the vinegar, scraping all that brown goodness from the bottom of the pot into the liquid.
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Add the chicken stock.
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Add the bacon and bouquet garni and bring to a boil.
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Reduce to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, skimming any foam off the top with the ladle.
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Remove the bouquet garni.
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THE CROUTONS AND CHEESE
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When the soup is finished cooking, ladle it into the individual crocks.
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Float two croutons side by side on top of each.
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Spread a generous, even heaping amount of cheese over the top of the soup.
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You want some extra to hang over the edges, as the crispy, near-burnt stuff that sticks to the outer sides of the crocks once it comes out from under the heat is often the best part.
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Place each crock under a preheated, rip-roaring broiler until the cheese melts, bubbles, browns, and even scorches slightly in spots.
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The finished cheese should be a panorama of molten brown hues ranging from golden brown to dark brown to a few black spots where the cheese blistered and burned.
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Serve immediatelyand carefully.
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You dont know pain until youve spilled one of these things in your lap.
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If your broiler is too small or too weak to pull this off, you can try it in a preheated 425F (220C) oven until melted.
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A nice optional move: Once the mound of grated cheese starts to flatten out in the oven, remove each crock and, with a propane torch, blast the cheese until you get the colors you want.
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HALF-ASS ED ALTERNATIVE
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Your broiler sucks.
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Your oven isnt much better.
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Cant find those ovenproof crocks anywhere.
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And you aint ponying up for a damn propane torch, cause your kids got pyromaniac tendencies.
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You can simply toast cheese over the croutons on a sheet pan, and float them as garnish on the soup.
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Not exactly classicbut still good.
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NOTE ON THE PROPANE TORCH
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This is a very handy-dandy piece of equipment, especially if your stove is not the greatest.
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Nearly all professional kitchens have them; theyre not very expensive and they can be used for a variety of sneaky tasks, such as easily caramelizing the top of creme brulee or toasting meringues.
