French Onion Soup

Everytime I would order French Onion Soup in the brasseries of Paris as a little girl, I would slurp happily away as my Dad told me the story of how this fantastic dish was born. In the cold mornings of the old Les Halles market, the stall holders would warm themselves with the boiling hot liquid and gather around the huge marmite to exchange news and gossip.

I always thought it would be a complicated recipe and I would never be able to master this soup in the same way as the Parisiens. But a few years ago I decided to give it a go, and in fact it's the simplest recipe I've ever followed! All you need is a bit of patience and some good stock and voilà soupe à l'oignon à l'ancienne.

Ingredients

500g onions, peeled and chopped
2 pints brown stock
1 tsp plain flour
½ clove garlic, chopped
60g butter

Method

1.In a large saucpan, gently melt the butter
2.Add the onions
3.Over a very low heat, gently brown the onions (this should take about 1 hour)
4.Add the garlic after 45 minutes
5.Once browned add the flour and cook for a further minute, stirring constantly
6.Add the stock, a pinch of salt and pepper
7.Simmer for 20-30 minutes

Serves : 6 - 8

Preparation time : 10 -15 mins

Cooking time : 1 - 1 & 1/2 hours

Serve with crusty bread coated with cheese.