French Onion Soup and Cheese Toastie
 
This recipe takes the humble cheese toastie or grilled cheese sandwich and takes the flavours up to the next level. The caramelised onions from the soup work so well with the combination of cheeses, mustard and butter making an amazing recipe.
 
Ingredients
 
4 Medium white onions
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
1 bulb of garlic
1 tbsp Chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp Chopped fresh rosemary
150ml Red wine
2 pint Beef stock
 
Here’s how:
 
Cut the onions in half and then slice as thinly as possible. This is important as it will help make for a nice caramelised cook.
Add the onions to a large pan with a splash of oil and the salt.
Cook on a medium heat for 15-20 minutes. This sounds a long time, but its at this point you will build the flavour and colour.
While the onions are cooking, cut the top off the garlic and add to the pan, this will give a nice smooth flavour rather than a full on garlic overload.
When the onions are soft, golden and caramelised add the red wine and chopped herbs.
Turn up the heat and when the liquid is boiling pour in the beef stock. Simmer the soup on a gentle boil for 30 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half.
Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper if preferred.
 
For the toastie:
 
4 slices of 2cm thick sour dough bread
50g melted butter
100g Mature cheddar cheese
50g Grated Parmesan cheese
100g Swiss style cheese
2 Egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp of the onions from your soup
 
Here’s how:
 
To make this amazing toastie, the first thing you need to do is mix together the egg yolk and mustard, then add in all three grated cheeses and stir together.
Brush the melted butter on one side of the bread, then place butter side down on a baking tray.
Divide the cheese mixture between the four slices of bread, then top with the drained cooked onions from the French onion soup.
Place the toasties into a pre heated oven at 180c or under a medium grill. When golden and bubbling remove from the oven and serve with your soup.
 
Recipe by Peter Sidwell