Old San Francisco Steakhouse's French Onion Soup

Grimm's Restaurant Tales's Note:

After working at O.S.F and observing the management I doubt this chain will be around for much longer--too bad because the food is outstanding. Here is my biggest seller...

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 16

Yield: 1.0 gallon

• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 2 large red onions , thinly sliced
• 6 large yellow onions , thinly sliced
• 2 quarts beef stock
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 12 ounces dry sherry
• 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 ½-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• paprika , to taste
• 1 teaspoon chopped scallion
• sourdough croutons or toasted pieces French bread
• thinly sliced swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Heat the butter in a large heavy pot over moderate heat and add the onions, separating the rings with a fork. Cover and sauté onions, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Add beef stock, chicken stock, sherry, brown sugar, pepper, thyme, parsley, paprika and scallions. Simmer for 10 minutes, or longer, if desired. To serve, pour soup into warmed bowls, and top with croutons and Swiss cheese.
2. To clarify butter: Melt butter in a heavy pan over low heat. Skim off froth and carefully pour clear liquid into another container, being careful to leave the milky residue behind.
3. Recipe can be halved or doubled.
4. At the restaurant we served these in onion bowls -- or very large yellow onions with the root cut off and the insides mostly scraped out(this can be used in the soup) with an ice cream scoop. After toping them with croutons and cheese they were placed under the broiler until bubbling.