French Onion Soup

`We used to make our daily soups from scratch when we had Cafe' Dania. This French Onion Soup recipe was our most popular non-creamy soup. The taste though, is certainly not simple. It's rich with flavour, packed with coarsely sliced stewed onions & topped with grilled cheese on French Loaf........totally wholesome!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 5 large yellow onions, coarsley sliced
• 1 pinch of thyme
• 1 bay leaf/ 1/2 tsp of ground bay leaf
• 4 cups homemade beef stock or 4 cups of water with 1 cube of beef bullion
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• 2 sticks of celery, chopped
• 1 tsp Worchestershire (Lea & Perrins) Sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black ground pepper

Melted Cheese on French Loaf to top the soup:

• 12 slices day-old French Loaf sliced slightly slanted in 1 inch thickness
• 1 clove of garlic, pound
• 1 tbsp French mustard
• 1/4 cup Gruyere cheese ( tasty cheddar cheese will work just as well)

Method for soup:

1. Heat the oil & butter in a large pot.
2. Add the onions. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. When the onions begin to soften, add the thyme & bay. Stir.
4. Reduce the heat & cook covered for another 20 minutes until very soft & golden.
5. Add the celery.
6. Stir the flour into the onions. Stir & gradually pour in the stock or water & bullion.
7. Bring to the boil & let the soup simmer for another 15 minutes.
8. Add salt, pepper & the Worchestershire sauce.
10. Pour soup into bowls & place the melted cheese on french loaf on top of the soup.


Method for Melted Cheese on French Loaf:

1. Preheat the grill on the hottest setting.
2. Lightly spread very little garlic on the bread.
3. Spread a very light layer of French Mustard.
4. Top with a heap of grated cheese.
5. Place under the grill.
6. When the cheese melts & edges of bread begins to browns, place it into the centre of the coup bowl.