What better way to start the New Year than with a classic French Onion Soup with toasted baguette and melted Bresse Blue Cheese!!…

Here is the recipe!!

French Onion Soup with Bresse Blue croutons

Serves as many as you want

Ingredients

2 large onions, red or white per person

Spring of parsley

2 bay leaves

Small tin of Guinness

Red Wine – about 500ml

Vegetable or beef stock cubes x 2

150g unsalted butter

50g brown sugar

4 cloves of garlic crushed

Bresse Blue cheese

Baguette cut into roundels

Method

Thinly slice the onions – used a mandolin or a food processor. The thinner the better.

In a large frying pan melt the butter and add the onions and the herbs.  On a low heat slowly reduce the onions until they are half the volume and very soft.  It helps if you place a lid over the onions to help sweat them.  This could take about an hour – 90 minutes.

Remove the herbs and add the garlic and sugar, raise the heat and caramelise the onion mix. 

Once caramelised add the mix to large casserole or saucepan, pour on the Guinness, wine and add the stock cubes.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Put the lid on the saucepan and simmer for 45 minutes.

Just before serving it is a nice idea to add a good glug of cooking brandy if you fancy it.  If you do keep boiling for another 3-4 minutes

To serve toast the baguette roundels lightly, then add a layer of Bresse Blue cheese on each and grill until the cheese is bubbling. 

Place a roundel in each soup bowl after filling it with the soup.