French Onion Soup

Ingredients :

• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 large brown onions, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup plain flour
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 x 430g can beef consommé
• 1¼ cups water
• 2 tbsp olive oil, extra
• 1 clove garlic, crushed, extra
• 1 small French bread stick, cut into 2cm slices
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• parsley, to garnish

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Heat butter and olive oil together in a large frypan. Add onions, cook about 20 minutes until brown.
2. Add garlic and sugar, stir through until sugar has browned. Add vinegar, cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions, cook stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the sherry, white wine, consommé and water. Continue stirring until mixture boils and thickens, reduce heat and simmer the soup uncovered for about 25 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 210°C. Combine extra olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Brush over both sides of bread, sprinkle one side with parmesan. Bake 5 minutes or until crisp and golden.
4. To serve, place a slice of bread at the bottom of each soup bowl, pour over soup, garnish with parsley.
5. Cooks notes : It is important that the onions are well browned to give the soup an authentic flavor. The sugar helps to caramelize the onions. Start with full heat for the initial cooking then reduce to medium heat to brown the onions slowly. The garlic bread with parmesan can also be served as an accompaniment to many other dishes, especially salads. It's more nourishing and filling than normal garlic bread.