Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Stilton and Apple Soup



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Back in the day, my dear friend Lil warred against no longer pristine snows and the bitter cold of late Chicago winters, with reveries that took her from her beloved moors and headlands to a college in London where tutors tried to tame and teach a wilding from the Hebrides. For the record, I can tell you that they educated, but never tamed her. When arctic blasts tore down the midway, she'd double wrap her long school scarf and, once home, fashion, from a childhood memory, the strangest rarebit I'd ever seen. She'd pull near frozen cider from the porch and spoon it with great deliberation into a wedge of blue-streaked Stilton cheese until the crumbly blue achieved a texture not unlike that of a softened, whipped cream cheese. Still not done, she'd core an apple and then peel it in a single corkscrew strip before cutting it into a uniform dice that was then folded into the cheese. The mixture was thickly spread on slices of really good bread and then set under the broiler to toast before serving. It was not, is not and never will be a favorite of mine. The "blues", on their own, are all too strong for my palate, but using the same ingredients she was able to make a soup that I quite enjoy. Recipes for Stilton and Apple Soup abound, but Lil's recipe is unique in its simplicity and the apples do tame the cheese. Any good blue cheese can be used to prepare the soup. I make this every now and then and I thought some of you might, for curiosity's sake, like to give it a try. Here's the recipe we use.

Stilton and Apple Soup
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredient:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
4 large red delicious apples' peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces Stilton cheese + cheese for garnish
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Optional garnish: chopped chives

Directions:
1) Melt butter over medium heat in a 4 to 5 quart pot. Sprinkle with flour and stir over low heat until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until smooth. Add apples and cook, covered, over medium heat until apples are tender, about 20 minutes. Cool, then puree in small batches, until soup base is smooth.
2) Return mixture to pot. Add milk and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add Stilton cheese and cider vinegar. Stir until cheese melts and soup is smooth. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with a bit of crumbled cheese and chopped chives if using. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy:

Sauerkraut Soup
Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
Thai Fresh Pea Soup with Green Curry

26 comments :

My Little Space said...

Apple soup sound terrific! I used to make it without blending it together with the soup. Just nice and clear kind of soup.

Coleens Recipes said...

I've never heard of and can not imagine an apple soup!! How curious.

Allie and Pattie said...

I do love fruit soups in the summer, but Stilton has been a source of great debate between me and an English friend. I do believe it's an acquired taste on it's own, but blended with the right ingredients, can be lovely. Thanks for sharing your memories-those tend to be my favorite posts
xoxo Pattie

Martha said...

We like stilton in any form! This soup sounds delicious!

Bob said...

I've never been too nuts about blue cheese, but I would definitely try this. You make it sound so good! Heh.

kate said...

wow, look at that, I'm already drooling, great color, looks delicious

Debbie said...

Never heard of this soup. It does look delicious though!

Claudia said...

I can totally imagine this. The apples would indeed tame the cheese and this would wake up my taste bud during the sloggingly-long winter. I do adore the tale of your friend and especially love that she remained "untamed."

bj said...

ummm, this does sound delightful, Mary. I've never had nor heard of apple soup. Sounds wonderful, tho.
xo bj

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

I love blue cheese ... now I want to make a Blue Cheese rarebit

Cathy said...

Apples and Stilton is one of my favorite flavor combinations. This soup looks oh, so good.

George Gaston said...

Mary, one of my favorite snacks is Stilton and fresh fruit slices; now you have shared a way to make it a delicious meal. I can't wait to give your soup a try. Thanks...

Zurin said...

ive never heard of apple soup!! wow with blue cheese! it looks good...very good!

Unknown said...

I love the flavors that are going on here. Who doesn't love a slice of apple with a wedge of Stilton? In a soup....fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Maggie said...

I've never made an apple soup, stilton soup I have made once or twice.
Perhaps next time I'll try this combo.
~Maggie~

The Blonde Duck said...

I love the stories behind your recipes.

Twin Tables said...

This sounds so good! About a year ago, Tillamook Cheese rewarded me for my recipe of Cornbread Topped Apple Macaroni and Cheese. Reminds me of this soup in a way, and it is something you might enjoy as well.

NKP said...

Apple and stilton - wonderful!

~*~Patty Szymkowicz said...

you make it sound and look absolutely irresistible Mary!
many thanks!
oxo

La Bella Cooks said...

My husband would love this with the Stilton. So delicious.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What a fabulous soup for the dreary winter weather. The Stilton would cheer anyone up.
Sam

DailyChef said...

Wow, I've never ever considered making apple soup. It sounds delicious. And I am always amazed at your photography skills.

Foley said...

Another good soup recipe... something I could never imagine but only you could make it sound so delicious!!

Phoo-D said...

What a special and delicious sounding soup! I love the story behind it.

Glennis said...

This sounds interesting. I'm not much of a cheese soup person, but I adore Stilton, and combined with apples it's wonderful. So this is work a try.

The only other apple soup I've made is something called Senegalese Chicken Soup, which is kind of a creamy chicken curry soup with apples - why it's Senegalese I'll never know.

Katy ~ said...

Love the story; I can just picture that young lady with her double wrapped scrap.

Yumm...I would love to try this soup. It sounds so good. Apple and cheese go so well together.

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