By Paddy McGinty
This recipe is a classic with a twist. We’re taking those same rich and beefy flavours that we know and love about French onion soup. But, we’re enhancing the richness with the addition of stout beer (Guinness). And, we’re revitalising that cheesy crouton that tops the soup by adding a little (Irish) cheddar into the mix.
Recipe details
Yield 4 servings
Time: Preparation time: 10 mins Cooking time: 1 Hour Total time: 1 hr 10 min
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 medium yellow onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 2 lbs)
- ½ tsp salt (two lots)
- ¼ tsp pepper (two lots)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 litres of unsalted beef stock
- 1 bottle (12 oz/330 ml)) Guinness stout
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 slices thick cut sourdough bread or French stick
- 4 oz gruyère cheese, grated
- 4 oz (Irish) cheddar, grated
Method
Prepare the onions:
In a large saucepan heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and brown sugar; and stir to combine.
Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are light golden brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add beef stock, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to the softened onions, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to pull up any browned bits.
Stir to combine.
With the heat still at medium, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Taste for seasoning, and add another pinch of salt, if necessary. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the pot.
Make the crouton:
Preheat oven to 190 C.
Cut bread to fit the size of your soup bowls, and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 5 minutes, flip, and place back in the oven for 5 more mins. Increase oven temperature, and position top rack to 6 inches from the heating element of the grill.
Divide the onion soup between 4 oven safe bowls arranged on a baking sheet. Place toasted bread on top of soup. Mix gruyère and cheddar together, and top the croutons with cheese mix evenly divided between the bowls. Place under the grill for 5-6 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted and just starting to brown.
Serve immediately.
Tips
Though it requires a little patience, we don't want to rush bringing the soup to a boil by raising the temperature. The Guinness is at risk of becoming bitter if we cook it at too high of a heat, so medium heat is the highest we'll want to heat the pan.- When buying your beer, be careful NOT to get extra stout. That will definitely get bitter in the soup. Stick to Guinness Stout Draught.
Preferred drink
Guinness, of course!
If you don’t lik
e Guinness, a strong oak-aged Spanish wine should do the trick. Try something from La Mancha or Valdepeñas, eg Pata Negra tempranillo.
“Sláinte!”
Acknowledgements:
Amazon
Foodtalk Plus
garden.eco
Paul Whitelock
Val Doonican
Wikipedia
Tags:
bay leaf, beef stock, brown sugar, cheddar, crouton, Foodtalk Plus, French onion soup, French stick, garlic, gruyère, Guinness, Irish cheddar, La Mancha, olive oil, Paul Whitelock, sourdough bread, stout, thyme, unsalted butter, Val Doonican, Valdepeñas, Worcestershire sauce, yellow onions