Such a simple frugal dish that is so sumptuous, filling and over brimming with rich deep decadent flavours, a joy to cook and eat.
Make double and the rest is great as a awesome gravy, enrich with a burgundy red wine reduction and more butter and pour over steaks, steak pie, sausage and mash, pan seared liver and bacon and so on…
Ingredients
(serves 4)
2 kg white onions finely sliced
4 shallots finely sliced
3 cloves garlic finely sliced
200g butter roughly diced
50ml olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
1 tsp sea salt
1 heaped tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar optional (depends on sweetness of onions)
100ml French brandy
1.5 ltr homemade or great store brought beef stock
For the Croutons
8 slices of day old ciabatta
Generous amount of softened butter
200g Comte cheese grated
Place the sliced onions, shallots, garlic, butter, olive oil, thyme and bay leaf in a large roomy pan, season with salt and black pepper, place on a medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, pop on a lid and soften the onions for another 1 hour.
Make this soup if you’re pottering in the kitchen for the morning makes the method effortless.
Remove the lid and reduce the onions for around 30 minutes, slowly the onions will start to catch a little, don’t be tempted to turn the heat up as the onions will catch and burn, you want beautiful slightly caramelised onions, once all the liquid has evaporated add the brandy and reduce by half, add the stock and bring to a gently simmer, reduce to your desired soup consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Toast the croutons on both sides (this and day old ciabatta ensures the croutons do not sink) generously spread with butter, float the croutons on the soup, pile of a decedent amount of Comte, making sure to cover the top of the soup too! Pop under the grill for 2 minutes until the cheese has just melted.
Serve and enjoy!
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