Some recipes are crafted by cravings or inspirations. Others, out of need. And that, is how this soup came to be. Of course, for me, creating is never a straight-forward, simple path.
A couple weeks ago, I bought apple cider to make this salted caramel. Even though I doubled the recipe, I still had about six cups left. The normal thing to do would have been to drink the cider, but it wasn’t going to happen. Why? I don’t know. Apple cider is awesome. But, I knew it would go to waste in our fridge.
I set off to find a plan. Should I braise with it, bake with it, glaze with it? A soup, I decided. But, then I opted for a certain type of move, one that’s completely normal for me, but definitely ridiculous. I dreamed up a soup that required very few main ingredients that were already in the house. So, in effort to use up one thing (perfectly drinkable apple cider), I bought three. Because, really, I am the person, who as a child, ordered whatever dish came with guacamole, even if I wasn’t crazy about anything else on the plate. That’s me: laser-focused when I’m determined (and when guacamole is involved). 
A rustic French Onion-style soup was in my head. But, I wanted minimal chopping and even less stirring. These days, with a baby who may be asleep or may need to eat, I’m always thinking about what will happen if I need to get to the stove, and can’t. I was curious about shallots – so pungent when raw, but incredibly mellowed, when cooked. Roasting them felt like the best way to help them collapse and caramelize. To balance their sweetness, and the acidity from the apple cider, I stirred in grainy mustard for a necessary sharp undertone.
If I wasn’t going to chop the shallots before cooking, I knew the soup would have to be blended. That’s fine, but it also made for an incredibly one note mixture, each bite the same as the last. Of course, bread and cheese was the answer. Isn’t it always? Playing off the apple and the mustard, I used sharp cheddar, which I sprinkled over slices from a hearty seeded loaf, before broiling, for added interest.
And, that was it. Roasted Shallot Soup. Dinner for all of us for one night, lunch for me and Easton for two. Was it practical? Not necessarily. Was it pretty? Not so much. Would I do it again? Of course.
Speaking of, when it comes time, you have three choices: skip the toast and cheese (not recommended!), top each bowl with it's on toast or go full-on French Onion-style and blanket the top with cheese. I love the middle option (no piping hot bowls, a reasonable amount of cheese and less dishes to scrub), but there is something special about a gratineed top.
Even though I gave measurements, when making the toast, do yourself a favor and don't worry about measuring the mustard or cheddar. Just spread the bread with a thin layer and sprinkle on the cheese. Less mess, less dishes and it will be fine.
- THE SOUP
- 2¼ pounds shallots, peeled
- 3 tablespoons, plus 1 cup apple cider, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
- THE CHEDDAR TOAST
- 1 ¾-inch piece hardy, grainy bread per person
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard per person
- 1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese per person, shredded
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Separate shallots with more than one bulb. Trim both ends of shallot; halve each one. In Dutch oven, ovenproof stockpot with lid or baking dish, combine halved shallots, 3 tablespoons apple cider, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Cover with lid or tightly with aluminum foil.
- Roast 40 minutes, stirring once, or until tender. Remove lid or foil and roast 30-40 minutes more, or until the shallots have started to turn golden brown.
- Stir mustard into shallots. If using Dutch oven or stockpot, place on stovetop over medium heat. If using a baking dish, transfer to stockpot and proceed. Add apple cider and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
- To blend: if you have an immersion blender, this is a great time to use it. If using a blender, let mixture cool a bit before transferring in batches to blender. As always with a hot mixture, make sure to hold down top tightly with a dishtowel before blending. Check and adjust seasoning. Divide amongst bowls.
- Meanwhile, increase oven temperature to 400°F. Place bread on aluminum foil or parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast 8-10 minutes, or until firm and starting to turn golden around the edges. Remove from oven and spread with mustard. Turn broiler to high; keep oven rack in center.
- From here you have two choices (what I like to think of as a little splurge, versus a splurge):
- For the former: Keep bread on baking sheet. Top each piece of toast with cheese. Place under the broiler for 2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown in spots, checking often. Place one piece of toast on each soup-filled bowl.
- For the latter: Make sure your soup is in ovenproof bowls. Place bowls back on lined sheet pan. Top each bowl with one piece of bread. Cover bread and soup with cheese (fair warning: you will probably need more cheese). Place under broiler and cook 2-3 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Serve carefully.
• Make the soup up to three days ahead of time.
• Cut the bread and grate the cheese up to one day ahead of eating.
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