Melt me an onion......

The heat pump is blasting and my weather app tells me it is all of 6 degrees outside. Temps like that, and a whole bag of onions in the pantry says Onion Soup, complete with cheesy crusty croutons melted on top. I will warm myself from the inside out.

I also want to celebrate the kitchen brilliance that is slowly cooked onions. Their sweet melting deliciousness is out of all proportion to the ease of preparation. OK, once you have got past the peeling and chopping, but it is so worth it, trust me. If you have caramelised onions in the fridge, you are well on the way to a really good dinner, lunch or snack

How about on top of pizza, with some crumbled feta and fresh thyme? See here for a fabulous pizza dough recipe......
Or spread on top of Hummus, sprinkled with toasted pine nuts, and served with warm pita breads....
On top of a steak in a glorious steak and onion sandwich, with plenty of mustard
With cheese, for a very posh cheese and onion toasty....
Sprinkled with flour and stirred with beef stock and wine for onion gravy, Toad in the Hole with that?

Or, of course, in soup

My Onion Soup


enough for 4 big bowls


6-7 medium onions, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp of salt
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 litre beef stock
Splash of white wine (optional)
Fresh ground black pepper

To serve

Crusty bread, sliced & toasted under the grill
Gruyère cheese (or whatever good melting cheese you have on hand)

Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan. Chop your onions in half then into thin crescents, and add to your butter/oil mix.

Sprinkle with salt and the crushed garlic, and cook on a low heat for about 50-60 mins until melting and golden. Yes, that is nearly an hour of cooking, in that time the sugars in the onions caramelise and give you the most wonderful sweet flavour.

You only need to give them an occasional stir, but otherwise don't have to do much for that hour. The onion pile will shrink dramatically! When you have lovely sweet , melty onion, add your beef stock and wine (if using), with a big grind of pepper, and leave to bubbly happily on the stove for another 30 minutes or so.

You can enjoy as is, or to really gild the allium, pour into individual soup bowls (check out my retro beauties!) and top with your croutons and a handful of cheese. Pop under the grill until the cheese is bubbly and molten, then scoff in front of The Block, glass of vino optional

I thought this might count towards my five fruit and veg a day, but the opinion of the girls in the knitting circle at work (I am bottom tier, working on a scarf) decided onions are a condiment......or seasoning. I am counting.