Savory French Onion Bread Pudding

[PrisonerOfHope]

Savory French Onion Bread Pudding

8 tablespoons butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large onions, sliced in half width wise then sliced into very thin half moons
1 can (about 14 ounces) beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 small loaf (about 6 to 9 ounces) good French bread
3 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded REAL Parmesan cheese
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 quart baking dish.

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter along with the vegetable oil in a large deep pan. Add in the sliced onions and stir to coat them.

Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and allow the onions to cook for about 10 minutes on very low heat, stirring occasionally, until limp and mostly cooked.

Take the cover off of the pan, turn the heat up to just barely medium and continue to slowly cook the onions until they are a deep brown.

Add the beef broth and the wine to the pan. Stir to mix, then turn heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has been nicely soaked up by the onions.

'Meanwhile, take your French bread and cube it into bite sized pieces. Toss it into a large bowl.

Whisk together the 3 eggs, the cream and the milk.

When the onions are ready, toss them with the cubed bread.

Pour in the cream/egg mixture and stir well.

Toss the shredded cheese (not the Parmesan) into the mixture, stir it all well then let sit for about 10 minutes so the bread can soak up the cream. Melt the last 4 tablespoons butter.

Pour all of the bread mixture into the prepared pan. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees until the pudding is golden brown, puffy and when a knife is inserted in the middle, it comes out clean (other than cheese) and with no custardy mixture on it.

Let sit for about ten minutes before trying to slice.