French onion soup is a tasty classic, but for this recipe, James is adding his own Cornish twist by adding local Bramley apples, a little wholegrain mustard and a cheesy crouton topped with Gouda made right here in Cornwall. The apples add a little British inspired sweetness, whilst the mustard adds a bitter and spicy note. Take your time with this one, and enjoy the process.
Serves 2
For the soup:
6-8 onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1 tbsp roasted garlic puree
4 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp curly leaf parsley, extra to garnish
1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and sliced
50g butter
100ml dry sherry
1 litre of vegetable stock
1 tsp golden brown sugar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Sea salt
For the cheesy crouton:
Seeded baguette, sliced and toasted
100g Cornish Gouda cheese, sliced and grilled
– Start by cooking your onions and garlic in butter on a medium heat until they soften.
– Keep cooking for 10-15 minutes so that the onions start to caramelise. Then add in thyme, apple, sugar, mustard and half the parsley.
– Cook for a further 15 minutes until the apples start to stick to the pan and caramelise too, next deglaze the pan with sherry. Reduce for 4-5 minutes and then add in stock.
– Season the soup to taste and simmer for 20-30 minutes to fortify the depth of flavour. Garnish with extra parsley and serve with a grilled cheese slice of toasted baguette on top.
