Crunchy French onion and gruyere cheese sourdough toasties with a rich onion and thyme dipping sauce. These are crazy delicious!

Feel free to replace the beef stock with good quality vegetable stock for a vegetarian option.

FRENCH ONION & GRUYERE CHEESE TOASTIES 

Serves 2 as a main (4 toasties)

INGREDIENTS

4 onions, thinly sliced
25g butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sprigs of thyme, plus extra to garnish
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons sherry
Sea salt
Cracked pepper
4 large slices of sourdough
10g butter
100g gruyere cheese, cut into thin slices

METHOD

Place the finely sliced onions, butter and olive oil in a large non-stick frypan and cook over a low heat. Once onions have become translucent, add the brown sugar and thyme. Cook for 45 minutes or until caramelised. Add the stock, reduce heat and gently simmer for 45 minutes, add the sherry and cook for a further 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place a sieve over a bowl and separate the caramelised onions from the sauce, reserve both for later.

Butter one side of each piece of sourdough. Heat a fry pan (which you have a lid for) over a medium heat. Once hot, place the sourdough in the pan buttered side down, then layer gruyere cheese and caramelised onions on top, make sure you have cheese at the bottom and the top so the bread has something to stick to. Place another piece of sourdough on top, buttered side up. Put the lid on the pan and fry for 3-5 minutes or until base of bread is golden. Remove the lid, carefully flip toasty over and cook for a further 3-5 minutes or until golden. Cut toasties in half to serve. 

Heat onion sauce, garnish with fresh thyme and serve with toasties. 

Great with a crisp green salad.