Onion & Cheddar Soup

By

This is a perfect creamy spring and summer soup, served with crusty bread and butter, it’s not too heavy and it’s not too filling. The sweetness of the seasonal white onions, contrasting with the deep flavours of a strong, mature cheddar cheese, lend themselves to a blend and creamy marriage made in heaven. To make it for vegetarians use vegetarian cheddar and a vegetable stock. However, this Onion and Cheddar Soup recipe is enhanced by using the best quality cheddar and fresh chicken stock.

Onion And Cheddar Soup Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:

  • 900g white onions (peeled and sliced fine)
  • 150g Cheddar (grated strong mature cheese)
  • 300ml fresh chicken stock
  • 200ml whole milk
  • 100ml double cream
  • 40g butter
  • 2 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed fine)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp Thyme Leaves (fresh stripped from sprigs)
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Recipe Method:

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter, add the onions and season with the salt and pepper. Sweat the onions in the butter on a medium heat for 7 minutes, so they go soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic, bay and thyme leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, check that the onions have become very soft. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Using a hand blender (or pour into a regular blender) puree the soup until silky smooth and everything is reduce to a thick liquid with no lumps.

Put the pan back on to a medium heat (return the soup to the pan if using a regular blender). Add the milk and cream, stir and bring the soup back up to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated cheese and season well with salt and pepper. Stir for a few minutes until all the cheese has melted into the onion, cream soup.

Serve in warm bowls with some buttered crusty bread on the side. If having this onion and cheddar soup out of a mug then cut some bread up into small squares, fry them in a little butter and oil until crispy and sprinkle the croutons on top of the soup in the mug.

Posted in All Recipes.
Share

Related Posts

  •
    March 16, 2015

    Blueberry Pancakes

    Being based on an American pancake batter, these pancakes are light and fluffy – where the baking powder gives them lots of trapped air, unlike the traditional English Pancake which uses no raising agent beyond the egg. The fresh, seasonal blueberries are a wonderful addition, giving a burst of blueberry fruit taste in every bite …

  •
    March 25, 2012

    Pickled Shallots

    Pickled Shallots are more gentle and smooth tasting version than the traditional pickled onion, yet they are still delicious served with cold meats and as part of a picnic lunch. Pickled Shallots Recipe Makes about 500g of pickled shallots to pot. Made with balsamic vinegar they should be stored for one month before eating. Recipe …

  •
    July 9, 2011

    Tea Brack

    This traditional Irish family recipe given below comes from Winifred Abbe, Co. Offaly, Ireland. In 1971 she said, “My grandmother (late 1800s) used half tea and half whiskey, which made her bracks very popular with the gentleman”. In Ireland Tea Braks after baking were cut and the slices (often buttered) were ostensibly an afternoon cake …

  •
    March 24, 2012

    Cherry & Cranberry Conserve

    Using tart cranberries to add in pectin also enlivens the taste of the cherries – this conserve is delicious stirred into meaty gravies and sauces served with roast turkey, duck, other poultry or pork. It also works on the side of roast dinner dishes instead of a plain cranberry sauce or conserve, the cherries giving …