Shallot Soup with a Goats’ Cheese Crouton

Course: Lunch or light main Skill level: medium Serves: 4

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) shallots

30 g (1 oz) butter

3 cloves garlic, sliced finely

2 tsp sugar

200 ml (7 fl oz) dry British cider

1 lt (1¾ pt) good quality beef stock

Salt and pepper

1 bay leaf

2 slices of sourdough bread, cut in half or to fit the top of the bowls

1 log of goats’ cheese

1 To prepare the shallots, pour a kettle of boiling water over them, leave to soak for 2 to 3 minutes then drain and run under cold water. They should now be easier to peel. Peel and slice finely ready to cook.

2 Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan with a lid.

3 Tip the shallots, garlic and sugar into the pan. Stir well then put the lid on the pan and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4 When the shallots are softened and browned, stir in the cider and the stock, season, add the bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cook, with the lid on, for an hour.

5 When ready to serve, heat the grill, toast the bread and slice the cheese into 4. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Put a slice of cheese on each piece of toast and lay one in each bowl. Put the bowls under the hot grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling.