Apple, Sage, And Onion Soup With Cheddar-bacon Croutons

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 medium onions, sliced thin
• 3 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups hearty chicken broth
• 1 3/4 cups hearty beef broth
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh ground black pepper
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 french baguette, cut on the bias into twelve 3/4-inch-thick slices

Recipe

• 1 heat the butter in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• 2 add the onions, apples, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir thoroughly to coat the onions and apples in the butter.
• 3 cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and apples are deeply caramelized, and the bottom of the pot is coated with a dark brown crust, about 30 minutes.
• 4 stir in the chicken broth, beef broth, wine, and bay leaf.
• 5 bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown crust.
• 6 simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors.
• 7 discard the bay leaf and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• 8 adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler.
• 9 combine the cheese and bacon in a bowl and stir to distribute evenly.
• 10 place oven-proof soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet.
• 11 stir the chopped sage into the simmering broth.
• 12 fill each crock almost to the top with soup.
• 13 top each crock with 2 baguette slices and sprinkle with some of the cheese-bacon mixture.
• 14 place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbling and well browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• 15 watch the soup carefully, because once the cheese is well browned it will quickly burn.
• 16 serve immediately.