I didn't really follow a recipe for this one, except to take advice from Delia on length of time to get my onions rich, soft and flavoursome. It really is a question of how thick or thin you want your broth to be, but you can always pack it out with fideo, which is exactly what I did and topped it with a rogue yolk I had left over after making meringue. How hungry are you exactly? You can do what you like here. No one is going to stop you.
Ingredients
1 really big onion, 1 small onion - finely sliced
1 large bulb fennel - finely sliced
3 cloves of garlic - smashed
Big fat knob of butter, splash of oil to stop it catching
1/2 tsp sugar
Bay leaf (I forgot to put this in but in hindsight I reckon it would have added that mysteriously wonderful taste that bay leaf imparts)
Hot water
Fideo (aka vermicelli)
Method
Melt butter, add a little oil and your bay leaf, and allow to sizzle until it release delicious bay leaf aroma.
Add your finely sliced onions and fennel and let them cook on medium-high until they start to catch and brown at the sides. Turn heat down to low and add sugar. Continue to cook for half an hour until they are soft, brown and caramelised. Check from time to time to stop burning. If they are, not to worry, just add a little wine from the glass you are sipping to loosen them again.
Cover with delicious trotter stock from St. John (a rich stock with pigs trotters, Madeira wine and other awesome things) and hot water to desired consistency.
Allow to cook down for at least 50-minutes on a medium to low heat while listening to Joni Mitchell or Classic FM.
Season, add as much or as little fideo as you like. Heck, whack a chicken stock cube in if you like it really meaty (I do).
Cook for two minutes.
Add egg yolk.
Burst egg yolk in ceremonious style.
Eat.
