French Onion Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 lbs yellow onions, sliced thin
• Kosher salt & coarse ground black pepper
• 4 or 5 fresh thyme stems, with the leaves picked off
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup vermouth
• One pound dried pasta - any shape is good, but a tube shape like a penne or paccheri works best
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 pound shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/4 pound shredded white cheddar
• 1.5 - 2 ounces crispy fried onions, like the ones you use at Thanksgiving

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over high heat, and add the onions
2. Cook, stirring well to coat onions with the butter for a couple minutes
3. Then turn down to medium-low, season lightly with some salt & pepper and add the thyme - mix well and continue cooking, stirring often until onions are beautifully browned, 15 to 20 minutes
4. This is the perfect time to boil your pasta - but def don’t overcook - keep them al dente
5. Add vermouth to the onions, scraping along the bottom to get up the ‘fond’ let vermouth evaporate, and add garlic
6. When fragrant, add the beef broth and cream - bring to a boil, and turn to a low simmer until slightly thickened - about 5 minutes
7. Preheat oven to broil
8. Add the cooked pasta and most of the cheeses (keep back about 1/2 cup between the two)
9. Stir until nicely melted and combined, and put in a serving dish
10. Sprinkle with the crispy onions, top with remaining cheese and put under the broiler until just melted
11. Serve