Makes 8 cups
Soup
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
10 cups sliced red and white onions (quarter moons work best)
1/2-3/4 cup Apple Jack or calvados, divided
2 tsp ground marjoram
6 cups low-salt veggie broth
1-2 bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp cayenne
Freshly ground pepper
Topping
6 slices crusty bread
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
For the soup: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a dutch oven, followed by the onions. Sprinkle the remaining oil as well as 1/2 cup Apple Jack over the onions, cover the pot and roast in the oven for about 1 hour. Remove pot from oven (don't forget to use oven mitts!), give it a good stir, cover again and (with oven mitts) return to oven for
another hour.
Remove pot from oven. Stir. Return to oven this time without the cover and cook 30 minutes more.
Remove pot from oven, stir the onions, add the broth the crumbled bouillon cube(s),
marjoram, cayenne and pepper and return once more to the oven. Let cook for 1 more hour. Stir.
Serve soup topped with cheese toast.
For the topping: Divide the cheese among the bread slices and toast in toaster oven or top the soup in the pot with the slices sprinkled with the cheese and broil a few minutes right on top of the soup.