Onion Soup with Cheesy Bread

This soup is traditionally French and is a great dish to cook for guests, because it can be prepared in advance or even frozen.

Ingredients

4 medium onions
25g unsaturated fat spread OR butter
1 x 5ml spoon balsamic vinegar
750ml boiling water
1 x reduced-salt beef stock cube OR reduced salt vegetable stock cube
1½ x 15ml spoons plain flour
1 x 5ml spoon Worcestershire sauce
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme OR ½ x 5ml spoon-dried thyme
Ground black pepper
½ French stick OR 4 slices bread
50g reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Small bunch (10g) fresh parsley

Equipment

Weighing scales
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Large saucepan with lid
Wooden spoon
Measuring spoons
Kettle
Measuring jug
Grater
Grill tray
2 x Pan stand

Instructions

1. Finely chop the onions. Melt the spread or butter in a large saucepan, add the onions and stir. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes until soft.
2. Remove the lid from the saucepan and add the balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring often, for a further 15 minutes until the onions have turned golden and very soft.
3. Measure 750ml of boiling water into the measuring jug, crumble in the stock cube and stir to dissolve.
4. Add 1½ x 15ml spoons of plain flour to the onion mixture and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Pour in the stock, stirring all the time. Add the Worcestershire sauce. Remove the thyme leaves from the stems and add the fresh or dried thyme and some black pepper to taste (if using).
5. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
6. Slice the French bread into small slices and top with grated cheese. Place them under the grill on a medium heat until the cheese has melted. (OR toast some white or brown bread, add grated cheese, grill until the cheese is melted then cut into quarters).
7. Finely chop the parsley and serve the soup with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and the cheesy bread.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, peeling, chopping, boiling/simmering, frying and serving.

Top Tips

• Balsamic vinegar adds colour, flavour and sweetness to the onions and helps them to brown, but you could use 1 x 5ml spoon of sugar instead.
• To make a vegetarian soup, use a vegetable stock cube and omit the Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies). Add 1 x 5ml spoon of vegetarian relish such as mushroom or Henderson’s.

Something to try next time

• Sprinkle some grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese on top of your soup.
• Try using Gruyère cheese grated on your toasted bread for an authentic French flavour.

Prepare now, eat later

• Make the soup up to step 5 and keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Make double the recipe, eat half and freeze the rest for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly and reheat until piping hot.