Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Ingredients

• 5 butternut squash - split lengthwise and seeded
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 apples (Braeburn Fuji or Gala) peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 yellow onions minced
• 8 garlic cloves minced
• 2 celery stalks minced
• 24 oz Plum Wine
• 1 ½ gal vegetable stock (or substitute water)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 oz blue cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350° F
2. 2
   Place squash flesh side down on a sheet tray. Add 2 cups water to tray, roast squash until very tender, remove and let cool enough to handle
3. 3
   Meanwhile in a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat
4. 4
   Add onions, garlic, celery and cook until tender
5. 5
   Add sliced apples and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes
6. 6
   Add plum wine and reduce liquid by half
7. 7
   Spoon out flesh of squash and add to soup
8. 8
   Add vegetable stock and cook for 25 minutes
9. 9
   While soup is cooking, place blue cheese and heavy cream in a double boiler over medium heat. Stir occasionally until melted. reserve warm
10. 10
    Place soup in small batches into a blender. Puree until very smooth
11. 11
    Transfer puree soup into another soup pot and bring to a simmer
12. 12
    Season with salt and pepper
13. 13
    To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls and drizzle blue cheese on top. serve immediately