Winter is a time when we all hit the soup pretty hard. For dinner, I always like something with a bit of bite to it, so French Onion soup, which is not blended, but instead braised to a mushy, soupy consistency whilst keeping the slices of onion whole, is a perfect winter middle-ground. The 'croutons', which are made from sliced, toasted baguette, coated in melted cheese, also help with that.
French onion soup is a traditional, country dish, and in France, it is probably considered blasphemy to cook it in any way but the proper way, but do you fancy baking beef bones and making stock with them. Do you have beef bones? So as not to compromise on quality, I actually make my soup using chicken stock, as it is much easier to make that yourself at home, and I actually like how it makes the finished soup lighter.
Thyme, garlic, butter, white wine and onions of course still contribute to a soup packed full of flavour, but without the intense richness of one made to a traditional recipe.
The croutons are usually made with swiss cheese, which is pretty delicious, but feel free to use cheddar if that's what you have.
Ultimately, this is a hearty soup with cheese on toast floating in it. What could be more satisfying on a cold day than that!
Ingredients
(serves 2)
4 large onions
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 litre of good quality chicken stock
100mls of white wine
1 small knob of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 slices of baguette
1 large handful of grated cheese
salt/pepper
Directions
Peel and finely chop the onions into thin half moons (cut onion in half long-ways, thinly slice).
Heat the oil with the butter in a deep saucepan and add the onions, garlic and thyme. Sweat and soften the onions for around 20 minutes on a medium heat until browned and looking caramelised. Getting a good colour on the onions is essential for flavour.
Add the wine and increase the heat slightly. Let it bubble for a couple of mins to burn off the alcohol. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast one side of the baguette slices under the grill then turn over and top with cheese. Stick them back under the grill to melt the cheese.
Season the soup and serve in deep bowls topped with the cheesy croutons.