French Onion Soup with Gruyere Toast
A classic soup - superbly warming and satisfying for a wintry day. It is made with caramelised onions, beef stock infused with wine and bouquet garni plus a touch of brandy for added depth. Topped with crusty French bread sprinkled with melted Gruyere cheese - the perfect accompaniment for this rich and hearty soup.
Servings:
4
yield(s)
Prep Time:
15
mins
Cook Time:
90
mins
Total Time:
105
mins
Ingredients
-
60
g
butter
-
700
g
medium white onions
(peeled & sliced)
-
2
tsp
caster sugar
-
2
garlic cloves
(peeled & crushed)
-
1
tbsp
plain flour
-
1.5
l
beef stock
-
1
bouquet garni (bay leaves, thyme & parsley)
-
275
ml
dry white wine
-
2
tbsp
cognac
-
salt & pepper
(freshly ground)
For the Gruyere Toast
-
4
slices of baguette
(2cm thick)
-
2
garlic cloves
(peeled)
-
225
g
gruyere cheese
(coarsely grated)
Instructions
-
Heat the butter in a large pan, when melted add the onions, garlic and sugar and cook over a medium heat. Stir regularly for 20-30 minutes until the onions are really soft and well caramelized.
-
Now add the flour, mix well and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the wine and leave to simmer until it has reduced by half.
-
Add the beef stock, cognac and bouquet garni, cover and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni and season the soup to taste.
-
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 150°C/Fan 130°C/Gas Mark 2. Place the slices of bread onto a baking tray and leave them to dry out but not brown. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 220°C/Fan200°C/Gas Mark 7.
-
Rub ½ a clove of garlic over each piece of bread.
-
To serve, ladle the soup into a ovenproof soup bowl and top with a slice of bread. Top the bread with the grated cheese, place the bowls onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Enjoy!