Creamed onion soup with cider and Blue Monday

Serves 4-6

(Jason Lowe)

5 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1tsp chopped thyme leaves
1tbsp vegetable oil
A couple of good knobs of butter
1tbsp flour
100ml dry cider
1 ltr vegetable stock or a good stock cube
2tbsp double cream
80g Blue Monday cheese

In a thick-bottomed pan, gently cook the onions and the thyme in the vegetable oil until they are soft, making sure that they don't colour, with the lid on for about 10 minutes, and stirring them every so often.

Add the butter and flour and stir on a low heat for a minute or so.

Slowly add the cider, stirring constantly, then gradually add the vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.

To serve, break the Blue Monday into small pieces, add the cream to the soup and bring back to the boil, then scatter the Blue Monday on top.