French Onion Soup
There aren't many things more comforting than a steaming bowl of French onion soup, topped with a melting cheesy crouton. On a hangover day it is the ideal lunch, and one I enjoyed many times at Cafe Boheme - their's is INCREDIBLE. The good news is it is incredibly simple to make, and you've probably already got all the ingredients in the cupboard.
You will need:
(Serves one)
Three small onions, sliced
200ml fresh beef stock. A cube WILL NOT work. A stockpot type thing might at a push.
50ml white wine
Sprinkling of flour
A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
Slice of bread - ideally baguette
Melty cheese. Gruyere is traditional but I used Taleggio
Dijon mustard
Knob of butter
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onions. Patience is key here, and you really must leave them to slowly caramelise for at least 20-30 minutes, but the longer the better. I managed to leave mine for about half an hour and they looked like this:
The deeper and darker the colour, the sweeter the onions will be and the better the resulting soup. Once they reach a stage you're happy with, sprinkle with flour and briefly cook it out to take away the rawness of the flour. Add the wine and cook quickly on a high heat to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the thyme leaves. Add the stock and leave to reduce down for another ten minutes whilst you prepare the crouton. Toast your bread and then spread a thin layer of Dijon before topping with your chosen cheese. Immediately before eating, place the crouton on top of the soup (in serving bowl) and place under the grill to melt. Enjoy!