For French onion soup, you will need:

700g onion, thinly sliced
50g butter
250g slightly dried out rustic crusty bread, thinly sliced
100g Parmesan cheese, grated
100g Gruyere cheese
2 tbsp brandy
a few thinly sliced/shaved butter
salt and pepper
water

(serves 6)

In a large saucepan, cook the onion in the butter on very low heat for 40 minutes, covered with a lid, stirring from time to time.

Remove lid and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Turn the heat up slightly and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring all the time. By now the onions should have caramelised to a medium brown colour.

Arrange half the bread on the bottom of an oven proof dish. Layer the onion on top, followed by the 2/5 of the cheese. Put the rest of the bread on top and then finish by putting the another 2/5 cheese on top of everything.

Very slowly add salted boiling water to the dish from the edge, allowing it to be absorbed by the bread. When the bread can absorb no more water and is beginning to float, stop. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven, top up with more boiling water if necessary. Drizzle the brandy over the top. Add the rest of the cheese and the thin slices of butter on top and bake for a further 30 minutes. The top should be golden and crusty.

Serve.