Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Melt the butter and the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan on a low\u2013medium heat. Add the onion and sweat stirring occasionally for 20 minutes until caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for 2\u20133 minutes. Stir in the cornflour and 2 tablespoons of stock and cook for about 1 minute, to remove any lumps.
3. Deglaze the pan with the wine and brandy and add in the fresh thyme leaves. Reduce for about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the remaining stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes until the soup has reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
5. For the topping, bake the baguette slices on either side in the oven, then rub with a clove of garlic. Combine the Gruyere and parmesan cheeses in a bowl. Place the baguette slices on top of the soup and sprinkle evenly with the grated cheese. Grill or bake in the oven until the cheese turns golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and garnish liberally with the freshly picked thyme leaves and serve with a glass of Taylors Estate Shiraz.
7. Hints, tips, substitutes and other ideas: You can use vegetable stock to make the soup vegan. Mix cheeses of your choice \u2013 I used Gruyere for its melting properties as well as flavour, but an aged cheddar or mozzarella will also work well. Brandy is optional, but I feel it adds a beautiful depth of flavour with the red wine and freshly picked thyme leaves.