If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If life gives you onions, make…er…bhajis? But bhajis aren’t renowned for their cheesiness (although I’m sure you could probably whack a bit of paneer in there with great results) and so, when I mucked up on a grocery order and found myself with the Mount Kilimanjaro of onions, French Onion Soup it was. Typically French Onion Soup is topped with melted gruyère and so I mused upon British cheese and thought of Lincolnshire Poacher. Poacher is made to a recipe loosely based on West Country cheddar but is also influenced by Swiss mountain cheeses due to the starter culture that’s used. The result is a smooth Gruyère-like texture but with the nutty, grassy taste of a mature Cheddar. Perfect melty cheese.
I initially took the recipe for this soup from The Slow Cook Book by Dorling Kindersley but then I got a bit fretty when my onions weren’t doing much so I consulted Delia’s Winter Collection for reassurance. It turned out well, the onions beautifully sweet and the top a mess of lovely cheesy soggy toast. Go easy on the brandy though unlike me.
Ingredients
30g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
675g onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp caster sugar
salt and pepper
120ml dry white wine
2 tbsp plain flour
1.5 litres hot beef stock
4 tbsp brandy (one per bowl, or to taste)
1 garlic clove, chopped in half
4 slices of baguette, about 2cm thick, toasted
115g Lincolnshire Poacher cheese, grated
Melt the butter and oil in a pan over a low heat. Stir together the onions and sugar and season with salt and pepper.
Cook uncovered, stirring every now and then, for about 40 minutes, or until the onions are rich and brown (this bit took me more like an hour). Don’t let them stick and burn on the bottom.
Stir in the wine. Increase the heat a tad and stir for five minutes, to glaze the onions. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for two minutes. Stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, put the lid on and leave it to simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required.
Meanwhile pre-heat the grill. Divide the soup between four flameproof bowls and stir 1 tbsp of brandy into each (do this to taste; mine was a bit over-brandied). Rub the garlic clove over the toast and place one slice in each bowl. Sprinkle with the cheese and grill until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
Sweet soup with a cheesy topping is pretty darn comforting, I’d say, and so I’m linking it up with this month’s Cheese, Please! Challenge.
Fromage Homage 
Phwoar! That looks like exactly the sort of comfort food I need!
Ha! Give it a try, it’s a hug in a cheesy-brandy-oniony bowl 😉
One of my all-time favourites when it comes to comfort food. I must try Lincolnshire Poacher again, as a Lincolnshire lass; I thought it was a bit mouse-trappy but maybe I had an unlucky wedge.
Give it another try, it’s usually quite nice. I think they do extra-mature versions which might have a bit more oomph…the smoked one’s good too. They sell a very aged version in Cambridge called Gumburner, which speaks for itself…
Crikey!
You’ve inspired me to make FOS though – there was a version I had years ago in a now defunct Londonj bistro, made with cider and a splash of cream. Hmm.
Meanwhile: have you seen this? Much silliness …
http://www.buzzfeed.com/emmyf/whats-your-cheese-horoscope?bffb
Oooh, that sounds good; let me know how it turns out. Yes, I saw the horoscope earlier – I am a mixed cheese with bits of truffle in which sounds rather nice…
I am buffalo mozzarella which is also nice but a bit limiting given the world of cheese out there.
Looks perfect for a long winter’s evening. I’ve never had it with wine and brandy before: must try!
I put way too much brandy in but I can imagine the right amount would be great. Yes, I can imagine eating it in from of the fire…
I’ve shied away from making French Onion Soup for years now. It’s a disaster every single time I try to make it!! You actually have me tempted to try your recipe… this is lovely.
I thought it was all going to go wrong when my onions weren’t colouring but as long as you cook them long and slow, they should go nice and brown and it should work. I’d never made it before – it was lovely 🙂
Ok, I think you’ve talked me into it… 🙂 I’ll report back..
I love it when you make the most of mistakes, and this looks like a really tasty one 🙂
If you ever have too many onions again, might I suggest onion marmalade? It’s the perfect accompaniment to cheese and crackers!
Ah, yes, I have made red onion marmalade before and it goes so well with a nice cheddar. Thanks for reminding me; think I might track the recipe down again.
Very nice!
Thanks, it was (in the end!)