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Onion
soup with cider and a blue cheese butter
This
is a very simple onion soup that can work very well as a base for
many other variations.
What
about garnishing it with local farmhouse cheeses and scallions,
or crispy bacon?
Serves
6
1 kg.
onions, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
500 ml. cider ( medium dry)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
pinch dried thyme
1/2 bay leaf
2 litres chicken stock
225 g. potato, peeled and diced
salt and pepper
FOR
THE BLUE CHEESE BUTTER:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons light cream
4 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon parsley chopped
1 tablespoon chives snipped
Optional
garnish, onion slices fried in butter, and chervil
Method
Place
a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Add
the butter, then the onions and allow the onions to cook gently
for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft and lightly browned.
Now
add the cider and cider vinegar.
Boil
until the cider has reduced by about one half.
Add
the thyme, bay leaf, chicken stock, potato and a little salt.
Bring
to a simmer, and then cook out for about 15 minutes over low heat.
Remove
the bay leaf, and puree the soup in a blender, or food processor
until smooth.
Check
the seasoning adding salt and pepper as necessary.
Blue
cheese butter
To
make the blue cheese butter, have all the ingredients at room temperature.
In
a bowl, mash or whisk the ingredients together until they are quite
well blended.
Note,
this butter can be made in larger quantities and stored in the freezer,
it makes an excellent spread for hors d'oeuvres.
To
serve, ladle the hot soup into warm bowls. Add a tablespoon of the
butter to each bowl. Garnish with the fried onion, and chervil.
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