9 March 2023

WHITE PUDDING SCOTCH EGG

A superb lunch need be no more than a good homemade soup. Since the days of can openers and cuppa soup, we struggle to experience real soup made with fresh ingredients. French onion soup, the classic soup of French bistros, captures an entire culture in one sip. Everyone remembers the best French onion soup they ever tasted, with the slightly burnt cheese spilling over the edge of the bowl and the flavours of the caramelised onion lingering on your taste buds. The trick to this soup is to make it slowly. The onions need long, slow cooking in butter and oil, followed by a lengthy simmer in a good stock. Invest the time and you shall reap the rewards with a deep and richly flavoured brew.

WHAT YOU NEED

60g unsalted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
800g onions, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
1.5 litres beef stock
8 slices of day-old French bread, lightly toasted
100g gruyere cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper

WHAT YOU DO

Step 1. In a large, heavy-based saucepan, heat the butter and the oil over a low heat. Add the onions and cook for 30 minutes until the onions are soft.
Step 2. Sprinkle in the sugar and continue cooking for a further 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even and deep golden brown.
Step 3. Stir in the flour, cook for one minute and then gradually stir in the beef stock with a wooden spoon. Bring the stock to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4. Divide the soup between four heated soup bowls. Place the lightly toasted French bread on top of the soup and sprinkle each one with cheese. Place under a hot grill until the cheese turns golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.

TIP
Classically, French housewives would have enriched this soup with port or brandy. When the stock has boiled for 40 minutes stir in 50ml brandy for an even richer taste