I started the year with a new country to cook from, for Taste the World. Last year I cooked only a few meals and the deadline is approaching, so I’ll cook more and more international recipes. Soupe a l’Oignon a la Normande or French onion soup is one of the recipes I’ve made for France.

Onion soup was popular in France since Roman times. Depending on the region, it can be made with cider or white wine. As I had the cookbook of Michel Roux – The Essence of French Cooking and he uses cider, I made it with apple cider. It’s not the easiest soup to prepare, but it was delicious, both hubby and I loved it and I will cook it again.

Ingredients for French onion soup:

– 400g onions
– 250ml apple cider
– 30g white plain flour
– 40g butter
– 650ml water or vegetable stock
– 4 slices of baguette
– 70ml double cream
– 30g grated mature cheddar
– sea salt and pepper

Peel and wash the onions, chop them. In a large pan heat 40g butter over medium heat and add the onions. Let them sweat for a couple of minutes, then turn the heat up and cook them until they are golden. Add 150ml of the cider and let the onions simmer for 5 minutes. The onions are ready, so take them off the heat.

In a saucepan, melt the rest of the butter and add the flour. Stir for a couple of minutes to create a lightly coloured roux. Add the water or the stock and bring to boil. When it’s boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the onions and stir. Let the soup on the hob to simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the sea salt and the pepper.

Preheat the grill. Cut the baguette slices thinly and toast them under the grill on each side. Divide the remaining cider into 4 bowls and add the soup. Add the double cream and the bread slices and sprinkle grated cheddar on top. Put the bowl under the grill for a couple of minutes so the cheese will melt. The soup is ready to be served.

Have you ever made French onion soup? Do you like it?