Yield: 6
Ingredients
1 french bread stick
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50g butter
700g brown onions, thinly sliced into rings
1 teaspoon sugar
1.2 litres beef stock
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons brandy
salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g gruyere cheese
Method
Preheat oven to 180 C Slice the bread into diagonal slices, 2 cm thick. Mix 1 tablespoon. Olive oil with the crushed garlic and brush over the bread. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic and sugar and cook over a med- high heat for 5-6 minutes or until the onions are starting to colour.
Reduce the heat to as low as possible and leave the onions to cook for a further 30 minutes until onions caramelise. Pour in the stock, white wine and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon and bring to a simmer, reduce heat and leave to gently cook for an hour. Before serving bring soup back to a simmer and add brandy. Pour into warm soup bowls and top with croutons, sprinkle with grated gruyere and grill until cheese is golden and bubbling.