French Onion Soup with Parmesan and Gruyere Croutons

I’ve been having a browse through an array of varying recipes for this French classic recently and have come up with my own version, which I’m extremely pleased with – full of flavour and almost serves as a meal in itself!   The cider compliments the onions perfectly and the addition of the vinegar provides a little zing!  Use a good quality beef stock to give this French classic the rich, intense flavour it deserves!

Serves 2 large portions

Ingredients

Soup:

• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 40g of unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion, finely sliced
• 1 large red onion, finely sliced
• 1 banana shallot, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 30g of pancetta
• 40ml of cognac
• 500ml of dry cider
• 25g of flour
• 1 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
• 750ml of Beef stock
• salt
• pepper, freshly ground

Croutons:

• 1 baguette cut in 1cm thick slices
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
• 25g of Parmesan, finely grated
• 25g of Gruyere, finely grated

1. Place a large, heavy-based pan on the hob.  When the pan is hot, add the oil and melt the butter then add the onions, garlic and pancetta.
2. Cook over a medium heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring so they become soft and golden brown.  The longer the onions cook the more the sugars in the onions will add to the dish.
3. Add the cognac, cook for a minute then pour in the cider and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds.  Add the vinegar, thyme and bay leaf.
4. Stir in the flour then add the stock and a pinch of salt to taste. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat, cover and simmer for around 30minutes.
5. Add salt and freshly ground pepper if required.
6. To make the croutons, set the oven to 180˚C/Gas mark 4. Drizzle the baguette slices in olive oil and cook for around 10/15 minutes until golden brown.
7. Rub the cooked croutons with garlic, sprinkle with the mixed cheese and place under a hot grill until the cheese turns golden brown.
8. Serve the soup in large bowls with the croutons on top.

My Teriyaki Salmon (Quick and perfect for a small dinner party)

I’m a relative newcomer to cooking Far Eastern cuisine, but this dish always goes down a treat and is quick and simple to make!  I would really urge you to give this a go.  The classic combination of soy sauce, ginger and lime makes for a truly perfect marriage with the salmon!

Teriyaki Salmon:

2 Salmon fillets
60ml Mirin
60 ml dark soy sauce
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 red chilli finely chopped
Grated ginger (medium chunk)
2 Spring onions sliced and some reserved and cut into thin strips for deep frying (keep some of these strips raw)
2 tablespoons rice wine
40g dark brown sugar
Noodles to serve

1. Combine the mirin, soy sauce, lime (juice and zest), chopped spring onion and chopped chilli in a medium sized bowl.  Add the salmon and marinade on each side for 5 minutes.
2. Heat a good glug of sunflower oil in a small saucepan and deep fry the thin strips of spring onion until lightly crisp.
3. Remove salmon from the marinade and fry dry or with a small amount of oil on a high heat for 2 minutes on the bottom side.
4. Flip the salmon, add the combined ingredients from step 1, and fry for a further 2 minutes.
5. Remove the salmon and place on warm serving plates.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of rice wine to the sauce and reduce to a syrupy consistency.
7. Remove the sauce and set aside.  Add the noodles to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Pour the sauce over the plated salmon, garnish with the deep fried and raw spring onion strips and serve with the noodles and a wedge of lime.