Recipe by executive chef Neil Taylor.
French Onion Soup
with Raclette Cheese
(serves 4-6)
Ingredients
4 red onions (peeled and thinly sliced)
2 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of thyme
½ bottle Cedar Creek Estate Merlot
4 tbs AP flour
2 litre of beef stock
200g raclette cheese or any other strong cheese such as gruyere
1 baguette (sliced into 2cm slices)
Method
1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
2. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are almost dry, about 5 minutes
3. Discard the bay leaves, rosemary and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low so the flour doesn’t burn. stir quite frequently and cook for 10 minutes or so or until the flour has cooked out and there is no raw flour taste.
4. Now add the beef stock, bring the soup back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
5. Preheat your broiler to high and put the baguette slices onto a sheet tray. Cover each slice with the grated raclette and put under the broiler until the cheese has melted and become golden brown.
6. Ladle the soup in bowls and put 1-2 of the raclette croutons on top and serve
7. ENJOY!