On a cold, wet day here on the Costa Blanca, what could be more cosy than a steaming bowl of French onion soup? Particularly when accompanied by a substantial portion of toasted bread stuffed with melted Gruyere cheese and an abundance of caramelised onion. A decent French onion soup must have two ingredients.
The stock comes first. The quality of the stock you use will determine how wonderful your soup is. Although making a quality beef stock can be costly and difficult at times, this soup is typically cooked with beef stock.
Taste the stock if it’s in a box! Don’t use it if the taste bothers you. (Save the leftovers from cooking a large quantity of beef or beef roasts and freeze them for use in stock later.)
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 1tbs olive oil
- 1 kg onions
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 sliced garlic cloves
- 2 tbs plain flour
- 250 ml white wine
- 1 litre beef stock ( veg stock for vegetarians)
- 4 slices bread
- 140 g Gruyère
Instructions
Melt the butter with the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 mins until soft. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 mins more, stirring frequently, until caramelised.
The onions should be really golden, full of flavour and soft when pinched between your fingers.
Take care towards the end to ensure that they don’t burn.
Add the garlic for the final few mins of the onions’ cooking time, then sprinkle in the flour and stir well.
Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the hot stock.
Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins. To serve, turn on the grill, and toast the bread.
Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls.
Put a slice or two of toast on top of the bowls of soup, and pile on the cheese.
Grill until melted. Alternatively, you can complete the toasts under the grill, then serve them on top.
Author: Linda Newlove
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