Squash, Cider, and Apple Soup

This is a delicious-looking soup, and it's healthy, too! It's different from many squash soups because it's made with apple cider. It's from the cookbook Soup Makes the Meal. Prep and cook times are estimated!

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons soy margarine
• 1  large onion, finely chopped
• 3  cups  butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 2  large apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (any kind)
• 3  cups  chicken stock or 3  cups  vegetable stock
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  bay leaf
• 1 1⁄2 cups  fresh cider
• 2  tablespoons  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  pinch ground cloves

Directions

1. Melt the margarine in a medium-size pot or large saucepan over moderate heat.
2. Stir in the onion, cover, and sweat for 10 minutes.
3. Add the squash, apples, stock, salt, and bay leaf to the pot.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer the soup until the squash and apples are very soft, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat.
6. As the soup simmers, pour the cider into a medium-size skillet, bring to a boil, and reduce to 4 or 5 tablespoons; you don't have to be too precise about it.
7. Remove from the heat.
8. Remove the bay leaf from the soup, then spoon the solids into a food processor.
9. Process the mixture until smooth, then stir it back into the broth.
10. Add the reduced cider.
11. Reheat the soup, stirring in the brown sugar and spices.
12. Serve piping hot.