English Onion Soup With Sage And Cheddar Food

ENGLISH ONION SOUP WITH SAGE & CHEDDAR

Steps:

• Peel and crush the garlic, peel and slice the onions and shallots. Trim, wash and slice the leeks.
• Put the butter, 2 lugs of olive oil, the sage leaves (reserving 8 for later) and the crushed garlic into a thick-bottomed, non-stick pan. Stir everything round and add the onions, shallots and leeks. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
• Place a lid on the pan, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without colouring the vegetables too much. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes - your onions will become soft and golden. Stir occasionally so that nothing catches on the bottom. Having the patience to cook the onions slowly, slowly, gives you an incredible sweetness and an awesome flavour, so don't be tempted to speed this bit up.
• When your onions and leeks are lovely and silky, add the stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can skim any fat off the surface if you like, but I prefer to leave it because it adds good flavour.
• Preheat the oven or grill to maximum.
• Toast your bread on both sides. Correct the seasoning of the soup. When it's perfect, ladle it into individual heatproof serving bowls and place them on a baking tray.
• Tear toasted bread over each bowl to fit it like a lid. Feel free to push and dunk the bread into the soup a bit. Grate over some of the Cheddar and drizzle over a little Worcestershire sauce.
• Dress your reserved sage leaves with some olive oil and place one on top of each slice of bread. Put the baking tray into the preheated oven or under the grill to melt the cheese until bubbling and golden. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't burn! When the cheese is bubbling, very carefully lift out the tray and carry it to the table. Enjoy.

ENGLISH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Put the butter, 2 glugs of olive oil, the sage and garlic into a thick-bottomed, non-stick pan. Stir everything round and add the onions, shallots and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without colouring the vegetables too much. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes - your onions will become soft and golden. Stir occasionally so that nothing catches on the bottom. Having the patience to cook the onions slowly, slowly, gives you an incredible sweetness and an awesome flavour, so don't be tempted to speed this bit up.
• 2. When your onions and leeks are lovely and silky, add the stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can skim any fat off the surface if you like, but I prefer to leave it because it adds good flavour.
• 3. Preheat the oven or grill to maximum. Toast your bread on both sides. Correct the seasoning of the soup. When it's perfect, ladle it into individual heatproof serving bowls and place them on a baking tray. Tear toasted bread over each bowl to fit it like a lid. Feel free to push and dunk the bread into the soup a bit. Sprinkle with some grated Cheddar and drizzle over a little Worcestershire sauce. Dress your reserved sage leaves with some olive oil and place one on top of each slice of bread. Put the baking tray into the preheated oven or under the grill to melt the cheese until bubbling and golden. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't burn! When the cheese is bubbling, very carefully lift out the tray and carry it to the table. Enjoy.
• 4. Dress your reserved sage leaves with some olive oil and place one on top of each slice of bread. Put the baking tray into the preheated oven or under the grill to melt the cheese until bubbling and golden. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't burn! When the cheese is bubbling, very carefully lift out the tray and carry it to the table. Enjoy.

BRITISH ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Heat most of the butter or dripping in a pan, then add the onions, sugar and herbs. Season and cook, uncovered, over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for up to 40 mins until sticky and brown. pour in the cider and simmer until reduced by half. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then cook for 20 mins.
• To serve, heat the grill to high. Spread the bread on both sides with the remaining butter or dripping, then toast under the grill until golden. Scatter with cheese and place back under the grill until melted. Serve the soup in bowls with a slice of the toast floating in it, scattered generously with parsley.

APPLE, SAGE, AND ONION SOUP WITH CHEDDAR-BACON CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, apples, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir thoroughly to coat the onions and apples in the butter.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and apples are deeply caramelized, and the bottom of the pot is coated with a dark brown crust, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken broth, beef broth, wine, and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown crust.
• Simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler.
• Combine the cheese and bacon in a bowl and stir to distribute evenly.
• Place oven-proof soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Stir the chopped sage into the simmering broth.
• Fill each crock almost to the top with soup.
• Top each crock with 2 baguette slices and sprinkle with some of the cheese-bacon mixture.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbling and well browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Watch the soup carefully, because once the cheese is well browned it will quickly burn.
• Serve immediately.