Lordy I just have to write this recipe down before I forget it.

I wanted soup. I’d baked a lot today, and didn’t want anything heavy for dinner so soup seemed ideal.

I just seem to have a thing lately for clear, hot stocks. Nothing claggy, no roux, just stock with interesting things in. This was so simple, I will definitely be doing it again. You could do this with only white onions, and use a chicken stock, perhaps add some fresh herbs.

1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into half rings

1 small white onion, peeled and sliced into half rings

1 extra rich beef Knorr stock pot

Balsamic vinegar

Butter

Olive oil

Grated cheese

Melt a good amount of butter in a pan, about two tablespoons, along with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the onions, coat well and cook on a very low heat until soft. This takes at least 20 minutes, possibly more depending on the onions.

Add 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, turn the heat up to medium, and sauté until the edges start to caramelise. Ten or so minutes, but watch it.

Then turn the heat right down, and leave to continue cooking until the whole lot is a dark, uniform colour and completely soft.

Add as much water as you want soup, I used around 600 ml, then add in the stock pot.

Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer.

I had made a cheese scone earlier in the day, so I split a piece and topped that with the grated cheddar that I had left over from the scone and grilled it for ten minutes. It became the scone equivalent of the cheese crouton you get in proper French Onion Soup. Plus the excess cheese made the sprinkles!

If you don’t have bread or a scone, then just spread the grated cheese on a LINED baking tray, and grill on medium until melted and spread out, and golden at the edges. Leave to cool on the tray.

Serve the soup with the cheese broken up and sprinkled on top.