Sweet, slow-caramelized onions are the whole point here — cooked low and patient until they turn deep golden and jammy, with garlic and a splash of dry white wine deglazing every browned bit from the bottom of the pot. That base gets simmered with fresh thyme and bay leaf until the flavor turns rich and savory, then ladled into crocks and topped with toasted baguette slices. A generous mound of coarsely grated Gruyère goes on top of each crock and gets blasted under the broiler until it's melted, bubbling, and blistered in deep brown patches. The contrast is what makes it: sweet, silky onions underneath, crisp bread in the middle, and molten, nutty cheese on top, all served bubbling hot straight from the oven. It's a classic bistro-style bowl that comes together with real technique — no shortcuts on the onions — and it fits neatly into a vegetarian dinner rotation.
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Melt the butter with 1 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter is foamy and just beginning to subside. Add the sliced onions and 1 tsp kosher salt, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until the onions have softened and released most of their liquid, about 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, sprinkle in the sugar, and continue cooking, stirring every 8–10 minutes and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the onions are deep golden-brown and jammy throughout, 40–50 minutes more. If the pot looks dry or the fond is darkening too quickly, add a splash of water (2–3 tbsp) and scrape up the bits.
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