Indulge in this much-loved soup!

My good friend Chris Blackburn has been pestering me for weeks to cook my specialty, French Onion Soup, and share the recipe on his blog, yorkshirepudd.co.uk.  It’s been raining for days, it’s cold and dark, so I feel like now is the best time to indulge in this much-loved soup, but of course, you need the recipe first!

French Onion Soup & Port

Before I spread the pantry doors and let you peek inside, let me first tell you that this dish is a real classic and was a mainstay of my childhood food experiences.  It’s a bit playful, with crusty croutons, caramelised onions, and a heartwarming hint of port; it’s also a bit serious with a savoury, rich depth of flavour.  Truly anyone can appreciate a good French Onion Soup.
Since this is an all around favourite, in the spirit of our recent holiday season, allow me to offer this belated gift to you.  And please, feel free to pass it on to your children, who will pass it on to their children…

French Onion Soup – Recipe

Ingredients – Soup

60g un-salted butter
4 large onions, chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp of flour
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig parsley
A dash of port
1 tsp of Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 pints chicken stock

Ingredients – Toasted Garlic Baguette

Baguette
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup butter
Sprinkles of Gruyere or Cheddar cheese (per serving of baguette)

Directions – Soup

Preheat your oven to toast your baguette or use a toaster oven.

Melt the butter in a large pan.  Add the chopped onions and cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until translucent but not brown.  Add the sugar and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown but not burnt, so stir regularly.

Now add crushed garlic and flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Add stock slowly and keep stirring.  Add thyme and parsley and soy sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add vinegar and a dash of port.  Simmer for another 5 minutes.  Season the soup to taste with salt or pepper, or whatever you may prefer.

Allow the soup to rest while you toast the baguette.

Directions – Toasted Garlic Baguette

Mix your soft butter and crushed garlic together. Prepare baguette by spreading with the garlic butter and sprinkling with cheese.  Grill/toast the baguette until golden and serve (alongside the soup) with a smile!