Celery Soup with Apples and Blue Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 head (1 1/2 lbs.) celery, stalks separated
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 qt. reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Cut celery into 1-in. chunks. In a large pot, boil celery and onion with broth, covered, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. 2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Cook apple, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
3. 3. Working in batches, ladle celery mixture into a blender and whirl until very smooth, about 2 minutes per batch. Stir in half-and-half and season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley, reserved apple, and cheese.