Your Super Bowl Sunday Soup

Oh, I know, you’re gonna being gobbling greasy chicken wings and sour crème, but if you might want something lighter, this wonderful, simple to make soup is from the February Sunset Magazine, Fast & Fresh article and was submitted by Rita King of Scottsdale, AZ. I made a few changes, (tossed an extra apple into the soup mixture; you could also add a fennel bulb) as this soup invites changes. The soup freezes very well, but if you plan on freezing it, I’d leave the milk/cream out until just before reheating and serving. I’ve had it both with and without the blue cheese, with and without the garnish apple chunks and for sure the blue cheese really kicks up the flavor. Yum.

Celery soup with apples and blue cheese.

1 head (bunch?) (1 ½ lbs) celery, Slice off bottom, clean of any sand,
½ sweet onion, chopped
1 qt (box) reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and one finely diced, the other chopped and added to pot.
½ cup half and half – or milk
1/3 tsp each salt and pepper
1/3 c chopped flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Cut celery into 1 in. chunks, peel and chop one apple. In large pot, boil celery, apple and onion with broth, covered until tender, 20 -25 min.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Peel and fine dice the second apple and cook in pan, stirring occasionally, until carmelized and soft – about 10 min. Set aside as garnish.
Using blender or stick blender, puree soup mixture. Stir in half and half (milk), season to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley, cooked apple and cheese crumbles.