Easy White Onion Soup with Mushroom Shaped Croutons and Blue Cheese

Ingredients

• 1.1 kilogram onions, sliced
• 2.45 gram butter, 3 tablespoons
• 3.45 millilitre vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons
• 4.1 tin Unox cream of chicken soup, tinned; mixed with 1 tin water and strained
• 5.250 millilitre full cream milk
• 6.chicken stock powder, 1½ teaspoons
• 7.white pepper, ground; ½–1½ teaspoons to taste
• 8.30 millilitre sherry, optional
• 9.250 millilitre chicken stock, to thin if needed
• 10.250 gram Danish blue cheese, sliced; shapes pressed out with cutter for crouton tops
• 11.white bread, sliced; cut into decorative shapes (e.g. mushroom) for croutons
• 12.oil and salt, for frying and seasoning croutons

Method

1. 1.Sauté onions until caramel in colour, in butter and oil — approximately ¾ hour.
2. 2.Add the strained chicken soup and water.
3. 3.Add milk, chicken stock and pepper.
4. 4.Heat gently and let stand.
5. 5.Refrigerate overnight and adjust seasoning and thickness before serving.
6. 6.For croutons: cut croutons from sliced white bread in decorative shapes (e.g. mushroom). Deep fry in moderately hot oil. Toss in bowl lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
7. 7.For cheese: slice cheese in even, thin slices. Press out shapes with a cutter. Place gently on crouton.
8. 8.To serve: garnish soup with one plain crouton, one crouton with cheese and long strips of fresh chives cut like grass.

Notes

• Serves 6.
• Source type 'mixed' — typewritten recipe with handwritten annotations.
• Make a day ahead — the soup improves overnight.