Cooking Time 1 hour 30 minutes - Serves 4
Anyone French please look away, I’m sorry (désolé) but this is my version of a smooth French onion soup with cheese on toast. There’s nothing wrong with the original way of doing it but sometimes you have to mix things up. And to be honest with you, I think it works really well.
If you try this recipe let me know what you think or if I’m crazy for making a French onion smooth.
Ingredients
2 large knobs of butter.
3 white onions, thinly sliced.
3 red onions, thinly sliced.
1 tbsp of brown sugar.
1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves.
1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce.
250 ml red wine.
1 litre rich, good-quality beef stock.
2 fresh bay leaves.
100 ml of double cream.
Garnish
Baguette.
Brie.
Method
In a large saucepan add the butter and enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and melt over a low heat. Add the onions, season with lots of salt and pepper and mix the onions in the melted butter. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes or till the onions have softened and caramelised.
Add to the onions the brown sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and give that another 5 minutes. Next, turn the heat to high add the bay leaves and pour in the red wine and allow that to reduce till almost gone around 5 minutes.
Now add the stock, bring it up to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Whizz the soup till smooth either in a food blender or using a hand blender.
Pour in the double cream and check for seasoning. Divide the soup between four bowls, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and a drizzle of double cream. Serve with some fancy cheese on toast using a baguette or any rustic bread topped with melted brie.