ENGLISH ONION & ALE SOUP WITH WELSH RAREBIT TOASTIE

ENGLISH ONION & ALE SOUP WITH WELSH RAREBIT TOASTIE

This dish is often seen as food for the poor people, this French classic 18th century dish is still popular, because it a comforting soup and it is perfect for your winter menus. It so simple and deliciously made with the beef broth and caramelised onions. French onion soup often has melted cheese crotons on top, why not with a toasties? Welsh rarebit classes as ‘posh cheese on toast’ it made with mustard, melted cheese and ale or milk, pair them together you will have a serious delicious, flavourful soup with oozing melted cheese.

FOR THE ONION AND ALE SOUP

• 6 large white onions, peeled and thinly sliced

• 4 tbsp virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp castor sugar

• pinch salt

• pinch black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1.8 litre good quality beef stock

• 100ml stout ale

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme

FOR THE WELSH RAREBIT TOASTIES

• 80g gruyere cheese

• 25g mozzarella cheese

• 1 tsp english mustard

• 1 tbsp corn flour

• 10ml stout ale

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE ENGLISH ONION AND ALE SOUP: Add olive oil, butter in a large deep pan, once the butter is melted then add onions, sugar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for up to 30 minutes until nice sticky and brown

2. FOR THE WELSH RAREBIT TOASTIES: At that point when the onions have been caramelised perfectly then reserve about 20g on the onion for the toasties.

3. Cut the baguette into slices, sandwich the slices together by add the onions and gruyere cheese in the middle, splash some olive oil on the top of the sandwiches, pop them in the toasties for 4-5 minutes until lovely toasted and the cheese have melted.

4. Return to your soup, by adding the garlic, bay leaves and thyme then pour in the ale and simmer until reduce by half. Pour in the beef stock, season with salt and pepper then bring to boil, turn down to simmer for 10 minutes.

5. In another saucepan on medium heat, add the ale, corn flour, gruyere cheese, mozzarella cheese, English mustard and Worcestershire sauce with a whisk as keep stirring until all combined together and the cheese have melted and become stringy. Keep it on low heat until you need it.

6. Get 4 bowls, pour in the onion and ale soup then drop the toasties on top and in the middle, pour over the melted cheese rarebit so it covered the toasties then you can either blow torch the rarebit or put the bowls under the grill for a few minutes, until browned and bubbling. And serve.