French Onion soup with cheesy croutons is a beloved classic dish that has stood the test of time. A no-fuss recipe, using stale, leftover bread and onions, this dish is not only a wonderful comfort food but also good for the budget. Warming and wholesome soup, great as a starter or a light lunch on a cold autumn and winter day.
This recipe serves two people as a large starter or a light lunch. It is optional to use a dash of white wine or a pinch of thyme to enhance the flavour.
You need:
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
200 ml roughly chopped yellow onion (about 1 big onion)
4-8 thin slices of baguette
400 ml of chicken stock
300 ml grated gruyere cheese
Salt and black pepper
How you make it:
Slice the baguette thinly and add it to a baking tray. Bake the bread in the oven at 200 degrees Celcius until they turn into golden, crisp croutons.
Add butter and olive oil to a pot and place over low to medium heat.
Roughly chop the onion and add to the pot to slowly brown for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the pot once in a while.
When the onion has turned dark brown in colour, add the chicken stock and let it boil for about 5 minutes.
Taste and check if any salt and black pepper are needed.
Place two ceramic or individual-sized ovenproof pots on a baking tray and layer the bread slices in the bottom-eath ceramic pot. Top the bread slices with half of the shredded cheese.
Add the soup to the pots and top it with the rest of the cheese.
Place the oven tray with the ceramic pots of soup in the oven at the same temperature of 200 degrees Celcius and bake until the cheese has formed a lovely dark cheesy crust.
Enjoy piping hot as a starter or as lunch on a cold day. Serve with a glass of good-quality French wine.
