Onion Soup (sort of traditional)

In the cold winter months, and we have had a fair bit of snow this winter, there is nothing quite like a warming soup. This is one of them and it is also great if you happen to have a cold because onions also when applied internally (not just in the form of a poultice) work wonders. The secret of this very simple recipe lies in the ingredients, really good onions and shallots, high-quality whole meal bread and a fine, ripe Gruyère cheese.

What you need

(this is for two people)

• 5-6 medium sized onions cut into fine slices
• 3+ cloves of garlic thinly sliced
• 50 g butter (not pictured) for sautéing
• 1 heaped tbsp flour
• 1 pinch of sugar
• salt and pepper
• 1 glass dry sherry (about 100 ml)
• salt and pepper
• 1 l vegetable broth (with Italian or Provence herbs)
• 100 gr grated mature Gruyère
• 2 lightly toasted slices wholemeal bread, rubbed with a clove garlic

What you do

1. In a frying pan melt the butter and sauté the onions and the garlic till they are starting to colour slightly.
2. Sprinkle the flour over it, add sugar, salt and pepper and keep stirring letting the whole take a very light brown colour.
3. Bring the vegetable broth to the boil.
4. When the onion are nicely coloured, add the sherry and stir, making sure deglaze, i.e. to dissolve whatever may stick a little to the bottom of the frying pan (add broth if necessary).
5. Add to the hot broth and leave to simmer for at least 10 minutes.
   
6. In the meantime, preheat the grill, then pour the soup into ovenproof bowls, float a toasted wholemeal slice on the top and sprinkle liberally with the grated Gruyère.
7. Put under the grill and allow the cheese to melt and develop a slight crust.
8. Serve with cheese and wine.

Celery and Mascarpone Soup with Noilly Prat Mushrooms on Toast

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This was cobbled together for a latish Sunday lunch, when Caroline and I were alone at home. It is an ideal winter dish, rich (perhaps too rich from a weight-watchers point of view) and warming -- and quick to make. 

What you need

• 1 celery cut into small cubes (save some of the central leaves for garnish)
• 1 medium sized potato, in small cubes
• vegetable broth
• 150-200 ml Mascarpone or fresh cream
• 1 punnet of button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into thin slices
• 1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
• 2 or more cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 roughly thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
• salt, pepper, nutmeg, paprika and fresh herbs (thyme, rosmary, sage, flat-leaved parsley)
• 80 – 100 ml Noilly Prat (or dryish Wermuth, not quite the same though)
• one slice of toast (Caroline’s whole meal nut bread loaves are best!) per person

What you do

1. Sauté half the onions in a nob of butter, then add the celery and some garlic, stirring to prevent browning.
2. When the celery leaves start looking  wilted, add the potatoes and the broth and simmer until all the ingredients are soft.
3. In the meantime sauté the remaining onions, garlic and the ginger, then add the mushrooms and fry them until they are brown, stirring pretty constantly.
4. Add the Noilly Prat and reduce, then season to taste with salt, pepper and the rest of the spices.
5. Add the Mascarpone (or cream) to the celery soup and put in the blender. At this stage you can add a couple of table spoons of the fried mushrooms to the soup as well. (It’s a matter of personal taste how you like the soup. If you want the soup really smooth, strain it after blending; I normally don’t bother, though), season to taste.
6. Add the herbs to the mushrooms, some celery leaves if you have kept any, and warm again briefly. The mushroom mix should be reasonably dry.   
7. In each plate, place a slice of toast, heap the mushroom mix on top, garnish with herbs, then ladle the soup around the mushrooms and toast and serve immediately (otherwise the toast will be soggy).