French Onion Soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 60g butter
• 1kg brown onions, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 750ml (3 cups) salt-reduced beef stock
• 125ml (1/2 cup) white wine
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 Woolworths Petit Pain
• Bake-at-Home crusty bread rolls, cut into 1cm-thick slices
• 40g (1/3 cup) coarsely grated gruyere or Swiss cheese
• Fresh thyme sprigs, extra, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the onion is golden.
2. Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually add the stock and wine, stirring until combined.
3. Place the onion mixture over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes. Season with pepper.
4. Meanwhile, preheat grill on medium. Place bread on a baking tray. Cook under grill for 1-2 minutes or until toasted. Turn and sprinkle with the gruyere. Cook under grill for a further 1-2 minutes or until the gruyere melts.
5. Ladle soup among serving bowls. Top with croutons and extra thyme to serve.

Notes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 50g (2 1/2 tbs) butter
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 750g brown onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 500ml (2 cups) beef stock
• 500ml (2 cups) water
• 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
• 60ml (1/4 cup) brandy
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 8 2cm-thick slices baguette (French bread stick)
• 90g (3/4 cup) coarsely grated gruyere cheese

Method

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until butter melts. Increase heat to high. Add onions and cook, uncovered, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until the onions begin to soften.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add sugar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until onions are golden and caramelised.
3. Add the stock, water, wine and brandy to the pan and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat grill on medium. Place the baguette slices under preheated grill and toast for 1-2 minutes each side or until lightly toasted. Sprinkle one side of each slice with a little of the cheese. Grill for a further 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts and is golden.
5. Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Top with the cheese toasts and sprinkle with pepper just before serving.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 4 medium (about 600g) brown onions, thinly sliced
• 1L (4 cups) chicken stock
• 250mls (1 cup) dry white wine
• Salt & ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 thick slices French stick
• 80g gruyere cheese, grated

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until they are soft and slightly browned.
2. Add the stock and wine and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. (See microwave tip.) Taste and season with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, preheat grill on medium-high. Divide the soup among heat-resistant serving bowls and place 1 slice of bread in each bowl. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the bread. Place the bowls under preheated grill and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 60g butter, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 (1kg) brown onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 4 cups beef stock

• Cheesy bread

• 12 baguette bread slices, each 1.5cm thick
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese

Method

1. Heat butter and oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat until sizzling. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 45 to 50 minutes or until onions are very soft. Stir in sugar and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until onions caramelise.
2. Add flour to saucepan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock and 2 cups water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to allow flavours to combine.
3. Make cheesy bread Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray both sides of bread with oil. Rub both sides of bread with garlic. Arrange bread on 2 baking trays. Bake, turning once, for 10 to 12 minutes or until bread is light golden. Sprinkle cheese over 1 side of bread. Return to oven for 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese melts.
4. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with cheesy bread, season with pepper and serve.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 80g butter
• 4 large brown onions, sliced crossways into rings
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 1.5L (6 cups) beef stock
• 125ml (1/2 cup) dry red wine
• 1 bouquet garni sachet (MasterFoods brand)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 30cm baguette (French stick), cut crossways into 12 slices
• 55g (1 cup) finely shredded gruyere cheese

Method

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and light golden. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until flour bubbles and comes away from the side of the pan. Add the stock, wine and bouquet garni. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until soup thickens slightly. Remove bouquet garni. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat grill on high. Place baguette slices on a baking tray. Place under preheated grill (about 5cm away from the heat source) and cook for 2 minutes each side or until light golden. Remove from grill and sprinkle each slice evenly with the cheese. Place under grill and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
3. To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls and top with the baguette slices.