Have I mentioned before how much I adore cheese? I’m sure I have. Probably many times.
A schoolgirl crush on cheese, that’s what I’ve got. Cheese… and Dave Grohl.
But that’s a whole other crush, for a whole other time. One that wouldn’t cause me severe abdominal discomfort if I indulged in it every day, three times a day.
Good lord, at least I hope it wouldn’t.
Aaaaand, I do believe this is the strangest intro commentary I’ve written to date.
So… on to the soup.
Imagine all the flavor of a delicious cheese plate, cooked down to creamy perfection, then topped with sauteed kielbasa and tart apples. Serve it up with a warm piece of crusty French bread for dippin’, and you’ve got yourself a meal fit for a cheese crushin’ fool.
Cheese Plate Soup
(makes 4 servings)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 small Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, chopped and divided)
1/2 cup carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1 small yellow onion (rough chopped)
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp dry mustard
4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese (room temperature)
3 oz grated smoked gouda cheese (room temperature)
6 oz kielbasa sausage (cut into bite-sized pieces)
In a large, heavy bottom saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Add 1/2 of the chopped apples, the carrots, garlic and the onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the flour, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard and stir to evenly coat the apples and veggies. Cook for 1 – 2 more minutes, then add the chicken stock and apple cider and stir to thicken. Simmer for 5 – 7 minutes, then using an immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a standard blender), puree the soup until smooth and free of chunks. If you used a standard blender, transfer the pureed soup back to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the cream. Stir to combine, then add in both of the cheeses and stir to melt. Season to taste with salt and ground white pepper.
In a saute pan over medium heat, cook the chopped kielbasa until slightly browned, then transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Add the remaining chopped apple to the pan and saute until slightly softened, then add the kielbasa back in and give it a toss.
To serve, spoon the soup into large bowls and top with kielbasa and sauteed apples. (Crusty French bread with a bit of Dijon mustard is always welcome.)
Oh, hello. I’ve waited for this soup. Everlong.
(P.S. Im a nerd.)
OMFG. SO GOOD.
omfg. so good. 