4-5 lg. yellow onions (about 1 1/2 lb.)
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 cans (10 3/4 oz.) beef broth, undiluted
3 c. water
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper
6-8 slices French bread
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 c. grated Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese

1. Peel onions; cut off and discard root ends. Using a large French Chef's knife, slice onions thinly (about 5 cups). Put butter in a 4 quart saucepan and heat over moderately high heat until butter melts. Add onions and ground pepper to butter.

2. Saute onion mixture, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until onions are a light golden brown. Sprinkle onions with flour and stir until all traces of flour disappear. Cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Remove from heat.

3. Gradually add beef broth, stirring onion mixture constantly; stir in water and bay leaf. Return to moderately high heat and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook onion sup, undiluted, for 30-40 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

4. Taste onion soup and add salt and pepper if desired. Turn soup into a broiler proof soup tureen, casserole or individual onion-soup bowls on a jelly roll pan. Toast the French bread slices in a toaster or under the broiler until they are a light golden brown.