Preheat oven to 200°C. Rub a little olive oil over the stew meat pieces, carrots, and onions. Place stock bones, stew meat or beef scraps, carrots and onions in a large, shallow roasting pan.
Roast in oven for about 30 minutes, turning the bones and meat pieces half-way through the cooking, until nicely browned. If bones begin to char at all during this cooking process, lower the heat.
When the bones and meat are nicely browned, remove them and the vegetables and place them in a large stock pot.
Add celery tops, garlic, parsley, bay leaves to the stock pot.
Fill the stock pot with cold water, cover 1 to 2 inches over the top of the bones. Put the heat on high and bring the pot to a low simmer. Reduce the heat to low.
Pour the stock through the sieve to strain it of remaining solids.
In a size appropriate pot, with medium heat, add in butter and oil to melt and saute off onions with a little sugar until caramelised.
Bring the Beef Stock to simmer.
When onions are ready, add garlic and sherry. Let the alcohol evaporate fully, before adding flour and stir for a minute.
Add the beef stock incrementally and cover and let simmer for another 15 - 20mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, grill some baguette with cheese in the oven at 180 deg C until the cheese has melted.
Serve in individual ramekins with soup at the bottom (with caramelized onions) and melted cheese toast at the top.
Notes
Use cheap mozzarella, or any cheese similar gruyere, or grated comte (but i think these two are too expensive)
Want to cook this with your team? D'Open Kitchen runs hands-on cooking team-building classes in Singapore.
