This rich onion soup has a delicious hearty flavour that is well complemented by the cheese and herb toasts. The addition of Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout really enhances the complexity of flavours in this warming soup.

Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout is an almost opaque, wonderfully silky and smooth textured ale with a complex medium dry palate and a bittersweet finish.

Ingredients

• 25g / 1.8 oz butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 6 onions, thinly sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp flour

• 300ml / 10.5 fl oz Oatmeal Stout

• 1.3l / 2 1/3 pints beef stock

• splash Worcestershire sauce

• For the toasts

• 1 baguette, cut into 12-18 thin slices

• 175g / 6 oz mature cheddar, grated

• small bunch chives, snipped

• ½ small bunch parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan and gently cook the onion and garlic until very soft and golden. Turn up the heat slightly and cook until brown – about 20-30 mins in total.
2. Stir in the flour and let that cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the beer and bring to a simmer. After a few minutes add the stock, bring back to a simmer, then season with salt & pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Keep warm.
3. Heat the grill and toast the bread on both sides. Meanwhile, mix the grated cheese with the herbs.
4. Sprinkle a little of the herby cheese mixture on each slice and grill to melt. Ladle the soup into bowls and float the toasts on top.