This is the most wonderful, comforting soup when evenings become colder.

Elizabeth David was hardly complementary:

‘The onion soup generally regarded as ‘French’, with sodden bread, strings of cheese, and half-cooked onion floating about in it, seems to me a good deal overrated and rather indigestible. ‘

Of course, there are many variations of how it should be made but I would like to think that this version would have courted favour. One tip is to flavour the stock with thyme.

6 onions
40g butter, plus more for the toast
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1 litre beef stock (or alternatively chicken stock)
1 small glass dry white wine (optional)
1 baguette
1 clove garlic (optional)
80g Gruyère cheese, grated

Peel and slice the onions into the thinnest rounds. Melt the butter in a casserole dish and add the onions slices, Cover and cook slowly for a few minutes before stirring the onions around with a wooden spoon and replacing the lid.

Check and move the onions around from time to time. When the onion begins to colour, take off the lid and stir the onions and scrape the pan as they begin to caramelise. At this point, some versions of the recipe add sugar – your choice. When the right colour is reached, add about half a litre of stock and the wine (which may not be necessary if the beef stock contains red wine) if using). When heated, put back the lid and let the soup simmer until the onion is soft, adding more stock as required.

Cut eight thick slices from the baguette and lightly toast them. Butter sparingly, rub with a clove of garlic and lay out on a baking tray. Scatter over the grated cheese and put into the oven (at 180°C) or under a grill until the cheese is melted.

Into each soup bowl put one piece of toasted baguette. Ladle in the soup and put a second piece of toasted baguette on top. Put the bowls under the grill or into the oven. (at 180°C) until the soup is bubbling.

Serve immediately while still very hot.