Appetizers and Soups

Caramelized Onion-Apple Soup with Blue Cheese Croutons

Start to Finish Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 (1 ½ cup) servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
2 large white onions, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch thick slices (about 1 ½ pounds)
3 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
4 cups 100% fresh-pressed, pasteurized apple cider
2, 10 ½-ounce cans double strength beef broth
1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cup unpeeled, tart, green or red apples, cut into cubes
Blue Cheese Croutons (see recipe below)

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large heavy saucepan. Add onions and cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until caramelized, stirring and scraping bottom of pan often. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Slowly and carefully pour apple cider into saucepan with onion mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and gently boil over medium-high heat about 15 minutes or until reduced by about half.
3. Stir beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into apple mixture. Bring to a simmer. Add apple; gently simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or until apples are nearly tender. Remove from heat.
4. To serve, ladle soup into bowls; top with blue cheese toasts or serve toasts alongside the soup.

Blue Cheese Croutons:

Lightly stir together 2 ounces finely crumbled blue cheese (about 1/4 cup) and 1 tablespoon softened butter. Spread mixture evenly on 12 lightly toasted baguette slices. Broil under oven broiler or toast in toaster oven about 1 minute or until cheese is bubbly. Makes 12 toasts.