French Onion Soup

Deeply caramelised onions in a rich beef broth, topped with a toasted crouton and a thick blanket of melted Gruyère.

French onion soup has its origins in the simple onion soups eaten by peasants throughout France for centuries. The classic Paris bistro version with its gratinee of Gruyere cheese developed in the 18th century and became associated with the market workers of Les Halles, Paris's great central market. Workers finishing their night shift would eat onion soup at 4am to warm up and sustain themselves. The caramelisation of the onions — which takes 60-90 minutes of patient stirring — concentrates the natural sugars into a deep, complex sweetness. The soup became internationally famous through Julia Child, who featured it in her landmark 1961 cookbook. Marco Pierre White's viral version using Knorr stock pots reignited debate about whether technique could compensate for ingredient shortcuts.

The onions must be cooked for a minimum of 1 hour on low heat until deep mahogany — not golden. Gruyère is traditional. Serve in oven-proof bowls and grill until bubbling.