This comforting, soothing and appetising soup might be just what you fancy if you are feeling cold and miserable and generally under the weather. Hot drinks and soups are recommended for easing cold and flu symptoms as are onions and garlic. Hope you feel better soon!
Serves 2-4
- 500g (generous1lb) onions, the stronger the better, diced or thinly sliced
- 6-8 spring onions, sliced, including some of the more tender green leaves, optional
- 25g (1oz) butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 900ml (just shy of 1½ pints) semi-skimmed milk
- Freshly ground black pepper, ground white and cayenne pepper
- 25g (1oz) plain flour
- Salt to taste
Cook the onions in butter over a low heat for 30 minutes in a large pan, stirring occasionally, until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic for the last five minutes of cooking. Season with the pepper selection.
Make a paste with the flour and 3-4 tablespoons of cold milk from the measured amount in a cup.
Heat the remaining milk almost to boiling in a heavy bottomed milk saucepan.
Pour over the onions.
Take a little of the hot milk from the soup pan and stir gradually into the cold milk and flour paste, until smooth. Whisk or stir gradually into the soup pan.
Cook for another 30 minutes over a low heat or until the soup is thickened and smooth. Stir frequently and make sure it doesn’t boil or catch on the bottom. A soup boiled is a soup spoiled as they say!
Test for seasoning before serving, adding salt to taste.
Tips
You can leave the soup textured or blitz or blend it with a stick blender, liquidiser or food processor, until smooth: if using a blender or food processor, return to the pan, to bring back up to temperature.
For a plainer version make with half milk and half vegetable or chicken stock.