Recipe serves 2

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp butter

3 large white onions cut to about 3-4mm/ 1/8th inch thick rounds (use a food processor or a mandolin to make it easier)

1 – 2 large sprigs of Thyme

2 tsp flour

¼ cup pale dry sherry you could use ½ cup dry white wine instead

½ cup cream

750 ml good quality chicken stock or bone broth

Salt & white pepper

2 thick slices of La Motte sourdough or one large slice cut in half

1 clove garlic optional

¾ – 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese or a strong local hard cheese such as Dalewood Fromage Huguenot or mature Cheddar

Method:

Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium-large heavy-based pot and sauté the onion with the thyme for about 10 minutes.

Add the flour, season well with salt & pepper and cook for a minute.

Add the sherry to deglaze the pan and cook for a further 1 – 2 minutes.

Add the cream and allow this to cook for about 5-6 minutes until it’s really thick and most of the liquid has cooked off.

Add 1 cup of stock and cook for about 2 minutes once again scrape down the pot. Add the remaining 500ml of stock to the pot and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. Remove the thyme stalk.

When you are ready to serve, preheat your oven grill. Toast your bread in a toaster until very lightly golden then rub the garlic clove over the toast (optional).

Dish up the soup in 2 ovenproof dishes to just below the rim. Place a slice of toast on each soup and then top with the grated cheese.

Place this in the oven about 1/3 of the way down (so not directly under the grill) and grill until the cheese is golden and bubbling and serve. If your oven has a fan and grill setting you can use this combination to keep the soup piping hot.

Serve with a glass of La Motte's delightful 2023 Vin de Joie Rosé.