Whisky Porcini Onion Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large onions peeled and thinly sliced
- ¾ teaspoons salt, more to taste
- 2 thyme sprigs – leaves picked
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 8 cups beef stock warmed
- 2 tablespoons dried Porcini (re-constitute by warming with beef broth)
- 4 tablespoons Camborne Whisky
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- 1 baguette cut into 4 thick slices
- 1 ½ cups grated gruyere cheese or hard Alpine cheese
Preparation
- Melt butter in a heavy Dutch oven or heavy based saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir and cover, letting onions soften for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and let onions caramelise until golden brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat if onions are browning too quickly. The caramelisation process may take 45 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm broth in a saucepan over low heat. Add Porcini and set aside to reconstitute.
- Once onions are caramelised, add garlic and the picked thyme sauce for 1 minute and then add whisky to the pot stirring to incorporate all the flavours. Add the flour, stirring constantly for a minute or two, allowing it to thicken. This will become like a blonde roux (paste).
- Slowly add the warm broth to the onion mixture, stirring between each addition and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat the griller, and arrange the slices of baguettes on a baking sheet, butter & sprinkle each slice generously with Gruyere. Grill until golden brown approximately 3 to 4 mins (keep your eyes on it so as it doesn’t burn).
- Ladle soup into mini casserole dishes or bowls, and cover the top with bread slices, serve immediately.
Note: If you have oven proof bowls you can ladle hot soup into bowls, place bread on top with cheese and grill directly under the grill.
