A Comfortably warming recipe: The starter

Food blogger Jo Brigdale has created a menu of comfortably warming dishes to ensure you’re warm, comfortable and enjoying good food this season. Follow her instructions below for Classic Onion Soup and Cheesy Toasts.

Autumn will be soon with us, and with the cold and probably wet weather on its way you will need something tasty and satisfying to warm you up. Therefore, Jo presentsto you her simple and classic onion soup with cheesy toasts.

This is posh enough for an autumn dinner party starter but easy enough for you to make and enjoy after a brisk autumn walk.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• 8-10 medium sized brown onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or 1 teaspoon garlic purée
• 2 tablespoon plain flour
• 150ml dry white wine
• 700ml hot beef stock (from a stock cube is fine)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 4-8 slices baguette or ciabatta (depending on size)
• 100g cheddar, finely grated

 

Method

In a large casserole pot or sauce pan, add in the butter, rapeseed oil and onions and begin to soften slowly over a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently and do not allow the onions to burn.

Once the onions are softened and beginning to get translucent, add in the sugar and allow to cook for 10 minutes more until completely softened and golden brown.

Add in the white wine and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until the alcohol from the wine has burnt away and the wine has thickened slightly.

Add in the flour and stir well so it combines with the onions and the wine.

Next, add in the stock and allow the soup to simmer for 20-30 minutes until thickened to your desire. Season to taste and add in the Worcestershire sauce right at the end of cooking.

Meanwhile, put your slices of bread on a baking tray and put under a preheated grill to toast lightly on both sides. Top with grated cheese and return to the grill briefly until the cheese is melted. Once the soup has been served in bowls, top each one with a cheesy toast and serve any extra on the side.

Eat and enjoy!

 

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About Jo…

Jo Brigdale, from blog www.joskitchen.co.uk, is a freelance food writer, recipe developer and tester, social media consultant and professional blogger. She has a passion for making and eating simple and easy food that fits into a busy lifestyle. When she’s not in the kitchen she’s a busy mum to sons Thomas and Daniel and also runs parenting blog www.josnursery.co.uk.