Recipe: French onion soup with Comté toasts

French onion soup with Comté toasts

Molten Comté, with its nutty, earthy taste and creamy texture, is the ideal choice for these oozing toasts that soak up the rich broth of the onion soup to perfection.

Serves 4

Ingredients

30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter

3tbsp olive oil 

1kg/2lb. 4 oz. large onions, very thinly sliced

250ml/1 cup dry white wine

1 litre/4 cups rich beef stock 

good pinch of grated nutmeg

small handful of fresh thyme sprigs 

2 fresh bay leaves

75ml/⅓ cup good-quality Madeira 

1 day-old baguette or other crusty bread, cut into slices

1 garlic clove, peeled

150g/5½ oz. Comté, grated/shredded 

salt and black pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan or flameproof casserole dish and add the oil. Add the onions and season with salt. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 45 minutes until they have reduced right down to a golden, sticky mass.

2. Add the wine and bubble, stirring, for a minute, then add the beef stock, a good grating of nutmeg and the herbs. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then add the Madeira and bubble for 5 minutes more. Check the seasoning and spoon into four small ovenproof bowls or dishes.

3. Preheat the grill/broiler to high. 

4. Toast the slices of crusty bread and rub one side all over with the garlic. Put the toasts on top of the bowls so that they cover the surface of the soup. Sprinkle with lots and lots of cheese and put on a baking sheet under the grill/broiler until the soup is bubbling and the cheese toasts are melted and golden. Serve straight away.

Recipe from Melted Cheese published by Ryland Peters & Small (£9.99)
Photography © Ryland Peters & Small

Also try baked camembert with honey and thyme