Ingredients

• 9 small/medium onions
• Olive oil
• Knob of butter
• 5 garlic cloves
• Good pinch of dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 400ml good ale
• 1200ml of beef stock
• 2 teaspoons French mustard
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Worcester sauce
• Toasted bread
• Grated cheddar

Method

1. Prep the onions and other ingredients
   Halve and finely slice all the onions, get the stock on the boil.
2. Start sautéing
   Sauté the onions for 15 minutes in the olive oil and butter.
3. Add some extra flavour
   While you're waiting for the onions, chop and crush the garlic, and add it to the onions along with the thyme. Move the stock to a low heat when it's ready.
4. Keep sautéing
   Sauté for another 15 minutes.
5. Sauté some more
   Add the sugar and continue sauteing for a final 15 minutes.
6. Deglaze
   Deglaze with the ale, then add the stock, mustard and bay leaves. As always, the better quality stock you use == a better dish at the end, and the same applies to the beer - use a decent beer, not lager.
7. Simmer
   Reduce the soup by simmering it uncovered for about 90 minutes, or until you're ready to eat - it's fairly forgiving on a low temperature. At some point during the reduction, splash a bit of Worcester sauce in to taste.
8. Pour your servings into oven proof bowls
9. Top with pre-toasted bread
10. Add the cheese
    If you don't have the "proper" onion soup cheese of Gruyère in your fridge - and let's face it, if you're making French Onion Soup with beer, then you probably don't - I've found that pretty much any melty cheese will work quite happily; in my case, strong Cheddar.
11. Bake for 10 minutes
12. And serve