So we lost, our world cup dreams are over. Perhaps now, after many months and some really embarrassing protests, we can get over it. Leave the past behind us, remove ‘cheese eating surrender monkey’ from our daily lexicon of terms for the French. But let’s face it, on a world stage; we’re not very good at kicky ball. The terms ‘fighting Irish’ and ‘luck of the Irish’ are certainly ones that apply to our national football team. We seem to win by jammy goals where Robbie Keane bundles over several defenders to toe poke it into the net along with some dubious refereeing decisions and so when it is done to us at a crucial stage by possibly the smuggest man in football, 
But now what comes over the brow but a sport and a tournament where, not only are we one of the best in the world, but where we don’t rely on our Darby O‘Gill twinkly eyed ohbegarrah to push us over the line. This is a sport where we can really stick it to the French, and they’re not bad at it, I mean look at the size of them.
Sebastian Chabal’s training regime is dictated by two things; his fear of sneaky anthropologists, yearning to confiscate his skull to prove that the Pilkington man actually exists. And eating mastodon omelettes followed by a quick sabre toothed tiger on toast.
To quote an oft used sporting term, at the end of the day let’s abandon this amateur xenophobia and remember the French for something that they are truly great at, Food. And one of their easiest, and best, meals of Freedom French Onion soup.
Ingredients:
4 large white onions.
3 small shallots
1 clove of garlic
2 bay leaves
A bunch of thyme
A shot of brandy
A Litre of good beef stock (This is where the difference will be made, If you have time, roast up some beef and veal bones and do it the old fashioned way like here, alternatively the jellied stuff is quite good although a tad salty so go easy on the seasoning at the end. Don’t use stock cubes, at all)
A few slices of Vienna loaf
Gruyere cheese.
Method:
First get a big heavy bottom pan on a medium heat with a couple of lugs of olive oil in it. Roughly chop the onions, and finely chop the garlic and shallots and add all them all along with the de-stalked thyme and bay leaves to the pan and cover. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the heat, what you want is the onions to take a rich brown colour but not caramelise or burn so by keeping the lid on you’ll keep the moisture in and they’ll stew up nicely.
When the colour is achieved and the onions have a melty quality to them, add in the shot (or two) of brandy. Let the alcohol cook off in it for a minute or two, remove the bay leaves and add the stock. Give the stock a good stir and get it up to heat, but not to the boil. Season to taste and ladle into large bowls.
Lightly toast your slices of Vienna loaf and carefully place on top of the soup. Grate your gruyere cheese and cover the bread with a generous amount, there’s no need to be pretty here and it doesn’t matter if it gets in the soup.
Fire under a hot grill for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. You should end up with something like this.
Serve and listen to some Edith Piaf, whilst producing a stick of butter suggestively to the missus.
