Ramadan food: French onion soup

Iftar soups

When it is time to break the fast, it is best to ease into eating, rather than going straight for a full-on meal. After having a few dates with tahini or yoghurt, the next best thing to feast into eating with is soup. But after a week, sometimes inspiration runs thin for this Ramadan staple. Here we present a soup-a-day to help with culinary brain-freeze during the Holy Month.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups sliced onions
4 (10.5 ounce) cans beef broth (or beef Maggie cubes in 5 cups water)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices French bread
4 slices provolone cheese
2 slices Swiss cheese, diced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method
Melt butter with olive oil in an 8-quart stock pot or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add onions and continually stir until tender and translucent, without allowing them to brown.
Add beef broth and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat.
Heat the oven broiler. Top four slices of French bread with a slice of provolone and a slice of Swiss cheese. Toast the bread until cheese is melted.
Ladle soup into serving bowls, sprinkle each with a little parmesan cheese, and top with cheese toast. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to begin soaking up the broth before serving.