White onion and truffle soup
4 oz (100g) unsalted butter
4 large onions, sliced
3 peeled garlic cloves
2 leeks finely sliced (white parts only)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 pint (600ml) good vegetable stock
Freshly ground salt and pepper
3½ fl oz (100ml) double cream
1 tablespoon of truffle oil
Heat the butter in a medium-sized pan, then add the onions, garlic, leeks and celery.
Cook over a low heat until soft but not coloured.
Add the stock, season well and then simmer for 15 minutes
Remove from the heat and process using a hand-held blender.
Pass through a sieve, reheat and add the cream.
Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a swirl of truffle oil (approx. ½ a teaspoon per serving)
63 Comments
Thank you so much for the recipe. I can't wait to try it.
This recipe sounds delicious. I would love to try it. I don't believe we have anything that is marketed under the name "double cream" here in California. Is it the same as "heavy cream"? I have seen this ingredient in your new book as well and have wanted to check. Many thanks.
Good morning. Having some free time I decided to go back and reread some of your blogs. I don’t know how I missed this one. The soups looks delicious and I will make it soon. Thank you.
Good - it is delicious and a great favourite of my son's!
In some ways the choice of cream is yours - if I am honest it often depends what is in my fridge!
Let me know how you find it!
Aren't we lucky to have them!
Beautiful. I love soups like this, and truffle oil is a lovely little luxury. We're lucky to have our own olive oil from our (very little) Spanish olive grove which we often drizzle over soups. Buen provecho, as we say!
This sounds delicious, will be making this, and having some freshly made bread with butter on, my mouth is watering. Thank you for all the lovely recipes. Lorraine.x
Delicious soup
British "Double Cream" is simply what's sold in the USA as "Heavy Whipping Cream".
Trust me on this one...I've spent years "translating" Elizabeth David's recipes for Americans
Not entirely by the way?....both "double cream" and "heavy whipping cream" were regarded with complete, pursed-lips disdain by my French mother-in-law. Of course, that reaction eventually applied to me,also, so I don't take her opinions too seriously, these days.
Advisedly yours as ever,
David Terry
The Webb House
Hillsborough, NC
P.S. The "truffle oil" in the USA (sold expensively at outlets such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods is utterly useless. All it contains, despite the inflated price,is artificially/chemically scented uselessness.........but that's it), In short, it's not worth buying. Google to find a reliable source....there are a couple in NYC.
Thank you - I loooove truffle oil - the proper stuff and cheese with a vein of truffle through it!
Good!
Onions in winter are especially warming!
You are very lucky!!!
Sounds fantastic will be trying ,but where do you get Truffel Oil I am in Australia
How about Amazon?
Linda, I too am in California (but formerly from England a lifetime ago), and am sure that "heavy cream", the kind used for whipping, is the equivalent. Or if you wanted to live dangerously, you could go for "extra heavy cream".
I am pretty sure that US heavy cream is the closest you will get to UK double cream.
Looks yummy. I have always been kitchenly challenged but watching that makes me want to give it a go.
It is great to try!
The soup looks wonderful! It is presently 7 degrees F where I am and having a bowl of warm soup sounds so inviting!
Wow - thank you - how elegant - superbly Highclere!
If you look online, you will find Devon Heavy Cream available at Whole Foods. The US heavy cream is similar, but is exposed to higher heat, which does affect the flavor some.
I will definitely be trying this as cooking is my major hobby of choice. We had a similar soup to this around Christmas time in Nashville, but this one looks better.
We just found out that Highclere isn't available to visit this October as we will be there from the 4th to the 10th. I will break the news to my wife and two friends very carefully! Maybe over a bowl of this soup with a good wine.
We may yet have the odd day then it is merely for various reasons an unsettled diary - nil desperandum !!!
Thank you! I will definitely keep an eye on the schedule.
Had the soup at tea when I visited Highclere this past Fall. It was wonderful as was the entire experience. I applaud you for your dedication and thank you for the recipe!
Thank you - it is good!
I made this soup for friends and family last week and it was a huge success. Everyone loved the flavor. We now have another recipe to add to our collection!
Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful !
Deve essere molto buona! La proverò!
Maria Chiara from Italy
I must try this soup! It sounds very yummy. Thank you for sharing.
Phyllis
It is yummy - we enjoyed it two days ago!!!
I love this recipe. I sometimes use it as a base for other dishes as well. I thickened the soup a bit, ladled a small amount in a dish and topped with seared scallops and very thin fried onion strings. I had never made white onion soup until I saw this recipe!
Very delicious, thank you
Excellent!
This is wonderful, and I found it’s equally good served chilled!
It is real family favourite!
I would love your recipie for the veg broth used in this soup.
Thank you so much for the lovely recipes!
I would love your recipie for the veg broth used in this soup.
Thank you so much for the lovely recipes!
Thank you I think it is in the "At Home book" Vegetable Stock this is a early version
By Paul at Highclere Castle
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2½ hours
Serves 3 litres
Ingredients
• 200g Celery
• 1 bulb Fennel
• 200g Onion
• 200g Carrots
• 2 Bay leaf
• 10 Black peppercorn
• 200g Leeks
• 50ml Vegetable oil
• 1 bunch Rosemary
• 1 bunch Thyme
• 2 sprigs Tarragon
• 8 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Tomato puree
Preparation method
1. Dice all the root vegetables, and lightly fry in the vegetable oil, after a good 5 minutes add the tomato puree
2. Quickly add the rest of the ingredients and cover with 4 litres of cold water
3. simmer the stock
4. Fill the pan with cold water till all the vegetables are fully submerged and simmer, skim off all fat/scum that comes to the top, and keep topping up with water for the first hour, stir your stock once an hour, for the last hour just let the stock reduce
5. Now drian the stock from the vegetables and reduce the 3 litres of stock down to 2 litres, boiling rapidly
6. remove from heat and chill as quickly as possible, stock is ready to use, great for soups risottos and vegetarian dishes,
The soups looks delicious and I'll try to do it.
But I don’t think we have truffle oil here in Argentina.
Thank you for sharing.
When you see it buy but otherwise you could try some extra virgin olive oil.
I made this recipe and it is excellent! My husband and I both love it and will make it again! Wonderful flavor!
Thank you SO much for sharing! I cannot wait to try this recipe!
It is yummy - my son's favourite!
I made this soup in the spring and now - with days getting a bit cooler - it back came to my mind when I thought what soup to make. Thank you for sharing! Excellent soup!
Thank you for this soup recipe. Fall is upon us in the US. I’m looking forward to making this soup and add it to my fall soups. Thank you Countess.
Kim MacThomas
It is yummy!
I made the soup for my first time and it was delicious! I served it for my birthday dinner party (I love a reason to cook) and everyone was asking for more, glad I doubled the recipe!
One day after this pandemic is over, I do hope to visit Highclere and if I'm lucky maybe that will be the day you come out to greet your visitors.
Until then, be well.
I hope you will visit!
Another thank you to your chef, Paul. I have never thought of purchasing an immersion blender or a food sieve before but after watching the video on making the white onion soup and then trying it, I've learned a few things. I'm sure Amazon.com is also happy! I've very much enjoyed learning new things from your blogs and will continue to watch. I know its not a British tradition but a very happy Thanksgiving to all at Highclere!
Sincerely,
Jayson Lambert-Roszak
Thank you so much
This is going on my Thanksgiving table! And what a wonderful gravy this will make to smother our dressing, potatoes, and yeast rolls!
Wonderful !
Last week I cooked the soup after I was able to order the truffle oil over Amazon.
The soup was easy to cook and is absurdly delicious .
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe .
When I saw this recipe in your book, Christmas at Highclere, I immediately decided the White Onion Soup with Truffle Oil would be the perfect starter at my Christmas dinner. I can’t wait to serve it to my family, it looks absolutely delicious. I even had to search out some lions head soup bowls online.
It is yummy!!
I visited Highclere two years ago and I was the happiest person in the world!! I wanted to see the beautiful castle because of the TV show but after my visit I was mesmerized by the history and the beauty of the castle .
I was lucky to be on one of the VIP tours and had the pleasure to meet Lady Carnarvon and taste her amazing good which it was a delicious soup, little sandwiches and a quiche which I would love the recipe because they were truly amazing !!
I was so blessed to be able to visit and have the time of my life a wonderful memory!
Thank you
Delicious soup, can you freeze it?
I am going to take a crack at this for supper tonight. Thanks for the recipe!
That soup looks fabulous and quite simple, too. I love making soups. My immersion blender comes in so handy.