Onion soup with Gruyère croutes
The secret of this rich, warming soup lies in the slow cooking of the onions and leeks, in just a little butter and oil, until lightly caramelized. Thinly sliced potatoes add extra carbohydrate and help to thicken the stock.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| 4servings | 10minutes | 1hour |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4servings | 10minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 1hour |
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 large onions halved and thinly sliced
- 2 leeks trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp water
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp superfine sugar
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 3 small potatoes (about 300 grams/2⁄3 lb in total)
- 6 cups diluted salt-reduced or homemade beef stock
- 4 fresh chives snipped
- Gruyère Croutes
- 3 thick slices whole wheat bread
- 1 garlic clove halved
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese coarsely grated
- 1/3 cup walnut pieces
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Ingredients
Servings: servings
Units:
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- Heat the butter with the oil in a large pot. Add the onions, leeks and water. Cook over a medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently until they begin to soften. Turn down the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat slightly, add the garlic, thyme and sugar and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Then add the vinegar and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until the onions and leeks are light golden.
- Peel the potatoes, cut in half lengthwise and thinly slice. Add to the onion mixture with the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and just beginning to break down and thicken the soup. Season to taste.
- Meanwhile, prepare the croûtes. Preheat the broiler. Trim the crusts off the bread and cut each slice into four triangles. Place on a grill rack and toast very lightly on both sides. Gently rub one side of each croûte with the cut surface of the garlic, then spread with a thin layer of mustard. Top with the cheese and walnuts, pressing down gently.
- Put the cheese-topped croûtes back under the broiler and toast until the cheese is just starting to bubble and brown and the walnuts are lightly toasted.
- Sprinkle the soup with snipped chives, then serve with the Gruyèrecroûtes on top of the soup.
Cook's tip: Sherry vinegar is matured in wooden barrels by methods similar to those used for sherry itself. It has a rich, mellowflavour that makes it popular in cooking. If sherry vinegar is unavailable, you can use red wine vinegar instead.
Variation: For a vegetarian soup, use a good vegetable stock instead of beef stock and stir in 1⁄2 teaspoon yeast extract for a richer flavour and colour. For the croûtes, use a Swiss-style non-animal rennet cheese as Gruyère is not suitable for strict vegetarians.
Each serving: 17 g protein, 23 g fat of which 7 g saturates, 29.5 g carbohydrate, 7 g fibre, 408 Calories
