Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• 1 large onion
• finely sliced
• 100ml/3½fl oz red wine
• 300ml/10fl oz hot beef stock (vegetarians can substitute with vegetable stock)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 slices bread
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 25g/1oz cheddar cheese
• grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the soup
• melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat.
• Add the sliced onion
• cover and gently cook until softened.
• Increase the heat
• add the wine and stock and simmer until reduced by a third.
• To make the croutons
• preheat the grill to the highest setting.
• Drizzle the bread with the olive oil and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• In a small bowl
• mix together the grated cheddar
• Dijon and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Add the bread and griddle for one minute on each side
• or until lightly toasted.
• Place the toast on a small baking tray
• spread over the cheese mix and transfer to the grill to cook for two minutes
• or until the cheese mix has melted.
• Remove from the grill and cut the cheese on toast into chunky croutons.
• To serve
• pour the soup into a warm bowl and top with a few cheesy croutons.