White Onion Soup with Croutons

(SERVES 6)

• 4 large onions, thinly sliced
• 50 /2 oz ¼ cup low-fat spread
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 450 ml/ ¾ pt/2 cups vegetable stock, made with 2 stock cubes
• 450 ml ¾ pt/2 cups skimmed milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 2.5 ml/ ½ tsp lemon juice
• 2 slices bread, cubed

Cook the onions gently in the low-fat spread in a covered saucepan for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until soft but not brown. Add a little salt and pepper and the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and summer gently for 30 minutes until the onions are very soft and the stock is richly flavored. Stir in the milk and heat through. Whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice. Add two ladlefuls of the hot soup and whisk well. Return to the pan and heat through gently until slightly thickened but do not allow to boil. Taste and re-season if necessary. Mean-while , spread out the diced bread on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 200degree C/400degree F/gas mark 6 for about 10 minutes 10 minutes until a deep golden brown. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the croutons just before serving.