The World Cook

France

Group C | Europe

Onion soup

Don't have a dreamy French footballer to keep you warm at night? No problem - this French classic topped off with a hefty amount of cheese is just as good, if not better.

You'll be shouting Allez les blues! through slurps of this soup all the way out of the Group Stage. With thanks to Nigel Slater for a straightforward take on this soup.

A set of oven-safe soup crocks are needed for this recipe.

Time 2hrs
Makes 2
Difficulty Semi-Pro
Units Imperial Metric

Ingredients

40g Butter
3 tbsp

40g

Butter
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp

1 tbsp

Olive oil
700g Onions
1 ½ lb

700g

Onions thinly sliced
2 tbsp Plain flour
2 tbsp

2 tbsp

Plain flour
1.75 l Beef stock
7.5 cups

1.75 l

Beef stock
120ml White wine
½ cup

120ml

White wine
2 sprigs Thyme
2 sprigs

2 sprigs

Thyme
5 Baguette
5

5

Baguette sliced diagonally
5 Gruyére cheese
5

5

Gruyére cheese thinly sliced

1

Over a low heat, melt the butter in a large pan or dutch oven, adding the olive oil so it doesn't burn. Add the onions and cook for 40 minutes until caramelized.

Coach's tip Keep checking back on the onions to make sure they don't burn

Coach's tip Keep checking back on the onions to make sure they don't burn
2

When the onions are on the verge of falling apart add the flour and cook for 5 minutes.
3

Add beef stock, white wine and thyme. Bring to a simmer and partially cover with a lid for 45 minutes. While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 400°F200°C.
4

When ready, fill oven-safe bowls with the soup, leaving an inch at the top. Place a couple of slices of the baguette, followed by some thin slices of gruyére. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.