Butternut Squash Soup With Apple & Smoked Cheddar

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 1 3/4 lbs butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes - 5 1/4 cups)
• 4 1/2 cups chicken stock or 4 1/2 cups low-sodium broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 mcintosh apple, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/3 cup coarsely shredded smoked cheddar cheese
• chives or thinly sliced sage leaf, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil.
• 2 add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.
• 3 add the apple cider and cook until syrupy, about 3 minutes.
• 4 add the butternut squash and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
• 5 cover and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 40 minutes.
• 6 in a blender, puree the soup in batches.
• 7 return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the cream. season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• 8 heat a medium skillet.
• 9 add the butter and diced apple and cook over high heat until the apple is tender and golden around the edges, about 2 minutes.
• 10 remove the skillet from the heat. season lightly with salt and pepper.
• 11 ladle the soup into bowls; garnish with the smoked cheddar, sautéed apples and chives; serve.
• 12 for vegetarian do not use chicken broth or stock. use vegetable broth.