As a food blogger I often find myself vacillating between two extremes - finding the time to take photos of food and regrettably forgetting to take photos of food. Hence, you can either find me scolding a family member or wrapping them over the knuckles for attempting to pry a piece of sweet crust from a tart or dipping a spoon or two into some home made ice-cream that I have yet to photograph. Or alternatively, you can find me kicking myself after a wonderful meal that I failed to photograph because I either thought it too pedestrian to blog about or I was far too hungry and harried and failed to go fetch my camera.

Either way I can't win!

Consequently, the other day I made a pot of one of my all time favourite soups - soupe à l'oignon gratinée - French onion soup with cheese. Yet, it wasn't until we were all sitting down at the table with a bowl of warm soup between our hands that I realized that I should have taken photos of it as this soup is far from ordinary, rather it's downright ceremonial!

Well my dear readers, you're in luck today because yesterday while I was making yet another batch of soupe à l'oignon gratinée I just so happened to remember to grab my camera from the bakers stand.

Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée - French Onion Soup with Cheese

Now don't go slicing up a kilo worth of onions with a knife otherwise you'll be reduced to tears. May I suggest you pop them in your trusty little food processor instead, that way you'll have finely sliced half moon onions in a matter of moments.

Ingredients

1kg brown organic onions, finely sliced into half moons

60g unsalted butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp plain organic flour

150ml of dry sherry

2 litres of beef stock

A handful of fresh thyme

A baguette, sliced and toasted

150g grated Gruyere cheese



Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F/ Gas mark 4. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, sprinkle generously with sea salt and cover the saucepan. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Uncover and stir in the sugar and cook for a further 30 - 40 minutes or until the onions have turned a deep, golden brown colour. Of course you'll need to stir occasionally. Then add the flour and stir for 3 - 5 minutes. Meanwhile heat the stock until simmering.

3. Stir in the dry sherry and then the beef stock and bring back to the boil. Transfer the soup to an overproof casserole (I used my Le Creuset) or earthenware, add the thyme and then put in the oven (covered) for an hour or so.

4. Butter the toasted baguette slices and top with the grated cheese. Place them under the grill until the cheese is bubbling hot and melted. Pour the soup into individual standing bowls or individual tureens and float the rounds of toast on top of the soup. Serve immediately.



Oh and hello to all the wonderful new readers who have come via Malta Media online. I hope to post something appropriately summery for you next to enjoy!


A Mediterranean Feast of the
Mythic Islands of Malta & Sicily

June 7th-17th, 2011
Ten day fully escorted gastronomic tour

 
Download 'A Mediterranean Feast' 2011 Tour Brochure ( 111kb pdf)

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