apple, onion, and Rye Bread Soup

The flavors of Alsace come together in this surprising trio. A light soup of caramelized onions with a touch of sweetness from apple. Thickened with rye bread, the bowl is permeated with the scent of caraway to excite the senses.

Onion, Apple, and Rye Bread Soup

Has this one got you both skeptical and intrigued? Try it once and I suspect it will become a regular at your table.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 pounds of yellow onions  

  • 1 cup apple cider

  • 1 quart vegetable stock

  • ¼ cup madeira wine

  • 1 large, crisp apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½” dice

  • A few thyme sprigs

  • 3 slices European style rye bread, cut into cubes

  • A small handful of caraway seeds

 Method:

  • Soften the bread by briefly soaking it in little water. Then squeeze it out and set it aside.

  • Peel the onions, cut them in half lengthwise, and slice them very thinly.

  • Warm the olive oil and butter in a 4–6 cup pot. Add the onions and sauté them slowly, over medium/low heat, until they are very soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes. (If you brown them faster, they won’t have time to release their sugars and become sweet.) Then, remove about a third of the onions and set them aside.

  • Raise the heat to medium and add the garlic and about ¾ of the diced apples to the pot. Drop the remaining apple pieces into a bowl of ice water to keep them from oxidizing.

  • Cook the apples with the onions, stirring, for 2 – 3 minutes.

  • Add the cider, 2 cups of the stock, the madeira, the thyme sprigs, and the bread to the pot.

  • Simmer uncovered over low heat for 20 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and allow the soup to cool for about 15 minutes.

    While the soup is cooking and cooling, prepare the garnish:

  • Scoop the apples out of the water and dry them with a paper towel.  Melt a small knob of butter in a small skillet and sauté the apples over medium/high heat with a small handful of caraway seeds until the apples start to develop some color. Set them aside.

  • Using either an immersion blender or in a food processor, purée the soup.

  • Add the remaining stock and bring the soup back to a simmer.

  • Stir in the reserved caramelized onions and taste the soup. Adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.

  • When ready to serve, gently reheat the soup, ladle a portion into each bowl, and garnish with some of the sautéed apples and caraway seeds.