Photography by Britishonions.org.uk
A very British take on this french classic. This warming and hearty soup makes a great lunch or light supper.
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 kg British onions, finely sliced
- A few sprigs of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 300ml dark ale
- 1 litre beef stock, fresh if you can get it
For the Welsh rarebit toasts:
- 100g mature cheddar
- ½ tsp British mustard
- ½ egg yolk
- A couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp dark ale
- Salt and pepper
- 8 slices of sourdough or white baguette
What To Do:
- Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onions and cook on a very low heat, uncovered for 40 minutes or until the onions are sticky and caramelized. Pour over the ale and reduce by half. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cook for 30 minutes.
- Heat the grill on high. To make the Welsh rarebit toasts, mix together the cheese, mustard, egg, Worcestershire sauce, ale, and salt and pepper. Grill the slices of bread on one side. Sprinkle the cheese mixture between each of the toasts on the un-toasted side.
- Pour the soups between four bowls. Lay two of the rarebits on top of each of the bowls of soup, then grill for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melting. Serve the soups immediately.
Recipe by Britishonions.org.uk.