
Recipe notes by Raymond Blanc
Although onion soups date back to Roman times, this particular soup began life in eighteenth-century Paris as a beef broth with caramelised onions on top.
Now served without the beef, the quality of the onions is crucial. You want both high acidity and high sugar levels to create a fully-flavoured soup.
The best onions are Rose de Roscoff. Spanish onions, although lacking in acidity, will also work.
I like to float croutons on mine and I grate some two-year-old Comté cheese on the top. And make sure you caramelise your onions to achieve a rich, brown colour.
A Frenchman’s heaven!
If you like a strong onion flavour, caramelise the onions for a further 15 minutes, until very dark brown.
By quickly boiling the wine you are removing most of the alcohol, which has a bitterness, but keeping all the fruity qualities and acidity of the wine.
You could replace the water with a brown chicken stock for a richer soup.

About this recipe
This Raymond Blanc’s French Onion Soup recipe is adapted from the book Kew on a Plate with Raymond Blanc by Raymond Blanc – Chef Patron of Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons – a country house hotel and 2 Michelin starred restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire.
Discover more at raymondblanc.com

About Kew on a Plate with Raymond Blanc
Accompanying a very special BBC TV series Raymond filmed with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this is the story of the nation’s favourite fruit and veg.
You’ll find an array of mouth-watering seasonal recipes, detailed tasting notes, and valuable tips for growing your own produce from the talented gardeners of Kew. A perfect read for the green fingered gastronome.