Skip to main content

Cider & onion soup with cheese & apple toasts

 


Method 1

Ingredients

30g butter

2 onions

peeled and sliced

3 garlic cloves

peeled and sliced

100ml scrumpy cider

1 small potato

peeled and sliced

2 thyme

sprigs, plus 1 tsp thyme leaves to serve

450ml chicken stock

50ml double cream

or crème fraîche

½ Granny Smith apple

cored, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks

For the toasts

2 slices sourdough

or baguette

20g grated cheddar

or other crumbled cheese

10g dried apple

1 spring onion

finely sliced

step 1

Heat the butter in a saucepan until foaming, then add the onions and cook for 10 mins until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Pour over the cider, then add the potato and thyme sprigs and simmer for another 2 mins. Stir in the stock and cream, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is soft. Remove and discard the thyme, transfer the soup to a blender and blitz until smooth.

step 2

To make the cheese & apple toasts, heat the grill to high. Toast the bread on both sides, then mix the cheese, dried apple and onion together. Pack the mixture onto the toasts, then grill until melted and golden. Pour the soup into bowls, scatter over the apple matchsticks and thyme leaves, then serve with the toasts.

Method 2

🧾 Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the soup:

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

4 large onions, thinly sliced (yellow or a mix of red/yellow)

1 tsp sugar (helps with caramelization)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp plain flour

200ml dry apple cider (hard cider, not sweet)

750ml–1L good-quality vegetable or chicken stock

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the cheese & apple toasts:

4 slices of crusty bread (baguette, sourdough, or rustic white)

1 apple, thinly sliced (tart varieties like Granny Smith or Braeburn work well)

100g (about 1 cup) grated mature cheddar or Gruyère cheese

Optional: a small amount of mustard (Dijon or wholegrain) for spreading on the toasts

👩‍🍳 Instructions

🧅 Make the Soup:

Caramelize the onions

In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.

Add onions and sugar with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized.

Add garlic & flour

Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Sprinkle over the flour, stir well, and cook for another minute to remove the raw taste.

Deglaze with cider

Pour in the cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.

Add stock & simmer

Add stock and thyme.

Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

🍎 Make the Cheese & Apple Toasts:

Prepare bread

Lightly toast bread under a grill or in a toaster until just crisp on one side.

Optional: spread a thin layer of mustard on the untoasted side.

Assemble topping

Layer thin apple slices on each piece of bread.

Top with grated cheese.

Grill

Place under a hot grill (or broiler) for 3–5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and golden.

🍲 Serve:

Ladle hot soup into bowls.

Float one or two cheese & apple toasts on top or serve them on the side.

📝 Tips & Variations:

Sweeter soup? Use sweeter cider and red onions.

Vegan version: Use olive oil instead of butter, vegetable stock, and a dairy-free cheese.

Stronger cheese: Aged cheddar, Comté, or even blue cheese can add punch.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dumplings

  Method 1 Ingredients 150g self-raising flour plus a little extra 70g suet small handful of parsley chopped (optional) step 1 Whilst your stew is bubbling, make the dumplings. Weigh the flour into a bowl and add ½ tsp salt. Stir through the suet and parsley, if using. Make a well in the centre and add 3 tbsp cold water, mix to a dough, adding more water until the dough is firm but pliable. Divide into eight equal pieces and roll in a little more flour into balls. Chill until needed. step 2 When the stew has about 30 mins to go, arrange the dumplings on top and cover with a lid. With the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3, cook the stew and dumplings for 20 mins, then remove the lid and cook for another 10 mins until they’re brown and puffed up. Method 2 🥣 Traditional British Dumplings (with Suet) 📝 Ingredients (Makes 6–8 dumplings): 100g self-raising flour 50g shredded suet (beef or vegetable) Pinch of salt Cold water, approx. 4–5 tbsp 🔧 Instructions: Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sichuan chicken

  Method 1 Ingredients 500g boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces 25g dried Sichuan chillies deseeded and cut into 3 pieces neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable, for deep-frying 1 tbsp dried red Sichuan peppercorns 1 tbsp dried green Sichuan peppercorns 15g ginger peeled and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves finely chopped 2 spring onions finely sliced, whites and green parts separated 3 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts 2 tbsp sesame seeds ½ tbsp light soy sauce ½ tsp sugar For the marinade ½ tsp ground white pepper ½ tsp chicken bouillon 1 tbsp Shaohsing wine 1½ tbsp light soy sauce 2½ tbsp cornflour 1 tbsp corn oil step 1 Combine all the marinade ingredients, except the cornflour and oil, with ¼ tsp salt in a large bowl, then stir in the chicken thigh pieces to coat. Cover and chill for 30 mins. Add the cornflour and mix well, then add the oil and stir again to combine. step 2 Put the dried Sichuan chillies in a colander and shake to remove any excess seeds. Transfer to a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Crumpet pizzas

  Method 1 Ingredients 6 crumpets 4 tbsp passata 4 tbsp ketchup ½ tsp dried oregano toppings of your choice (peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, sweetcorn, olives, ham and basil all work well) 75g cheddar cheese grated step 1 Heat the grill to high. Lightly toast the crumpets in a toaster or under the grill. Meanwhile, mix the passata, ketchup and oregano together in a bowl. Season. Chop your chosen toppings into small pieces – young children can tear basil, or chop soft veg in a cup using safety scissors. step 2 Line a baking tray with foil. Spread the sauce over the crumpets, then top with the veg and cheese. Arrange on the tray and grill for 3-4 mins, until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Leave to cool slightly before eating. Method 2 🧺 Ingredients (makes 6 mini pizzas / serves 2–3) Base: 6 crumpets (regular or sourdough) 1–2 tbsp olive oil (optional, for brushing) Tomato sauce: 4 tbsp passata or pizza sauce 1 tsp tomato purée (optional, for richness) ½ tsp dried oregano or...
Post a Comment
Read more