Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 slices of your favorite cheese
• 8 slices of bread
• Optional: additional butter for spreading on the bread

Directions

1. Set a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the onion and 1/2 tsp. salt until everything is coated, then cover the pan and lower the heat to medium low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice and dragging the onions across the skillet as you go.
2. Remove the lid, stir in the broth and thyme, and continue cooking, stirring now and then, until the onions are very tender and the liquid has cooked away, about 15 minutes. Pour in the sherry, turn the heat to high, and stir until the alcohol has cooked off, about 30 seconds. Add salt to taste.
3. Brush oil over the tops of 4 slices of bread, then place them oil side down on a large griddle. Scatter three-quarters of the cheese over the bread. Spoon the onions on top, then add the remaining cheese. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread and brush the tops with oil.
4. Warm the griddle over medium heat. Press the sandwiches with a weight, such as a baking sheet with a few heavy cans on top, and cook until the undersides are deep golden and the cheese has melted, about 4 minutes. Turn the sandwiches over and cook the other sides until golden, shifting them around the griddle as needed so they brown evenly, about 2 minutes more. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.