Blue Cheese and Apple Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs unsalted butter or vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup finely minced shallots or scallions
• 3 cups peeled and diced tart-sweet apples such as McIntosh or Gravenstein
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2-3 cups rich vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1/2 lb sweet Gorgonzola, Cambozola, Maytag blue, or other blue cheese
• 1 1/4 cups light cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Drops of fresh lemon juice
• Garnish: Minced fresh chives

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and sauti the shallots until soft but not brown. Add the apples and cook until they just begin to soften. Add the wine and 2 cups of the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Crumble and add the cheese and stir until it melts. Add the cream and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree, in batches if necessary, adding more stock if desired for thinner consistency. At this point the soup can be either chilled (for up to 2 days) to serve cold or heated to serve hot. Do not allow soup to boil, or it will tend to curdle.

Serve hot or cold, garnished with the minced chives. For an interesting alternative garnish, add some chopped freshly roasted chestnuts if serving warm or peeled and diced tart apple if serving cold.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Internet
Submitted By: Marlen
matchlessm@aol.com
Blue Cheese and Apple Soup