Celery Soup With Sourdough Croutons And Tarragon Swirl Food

SIMPLE CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a big pot over medium-high heat and add the onion, stirring occasionally, letting the onions get golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and stir 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
• Add the celery, potatoes, broth, water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and cayenne. The liquid should just cover the veggies ( if not, add a little more water). Cover, bring to a rolling boil, turn heat down and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Turn heat off, remove bay leaf and add the fresh herbs and just wilt them (don't cook herbs or you lose the vibrant color!)
• Using an immersion blender blend until very silky smooth - OR if using a regular blender, let cool before blending in smaller batches. ( If blending warm soup, fill blender no more than halfway full, cover tightly with a lid and kitchen towel, holding it down firmly, when you start the motor (on the lowest setting, working up gradually) to prevent a blender "explosion").
• Blend well, a full minute, until herbs are fully blended, creating a vibrant colored soup. For extra "green" color, add a handful of raw baby spinach if you like, or more fresh parsley.
• Place it back in the same pot over low heat. Stir in your choice of sour cream, or any of the other options. Gently heat, careful to not over-simmer, or you may lose the lovely vibrant color.
• To make the crispy celery leaves, heat a generous amount of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Wait until the oil is hot. Fry a "tester" celery leaf for 10-20 seconds on each side. Set on a paper towel. If it is crisp, continue on. Adding a few at a time, not overly crowding. If not crisp, fry them a little longer. You want about 3-5 leaves per serving bowl. In the same oil, you could fry the nigella seeds until you just begin to hear popping. Turn heat off. Arrange the crispy celery leaves in a crescent shape. Spoon a little of the nigella seeds along with a little oil in the same shape. Sprinkle with hemp seeds if you like.

PURéED BROCCOLI AND CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not allow these ingredients to brown. Add a generous pinch of salt to prevent this from happening (the salt draws out liquid from the vegetables). Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Add the broccoli, potatoes or rice, water or stock, bouquet garni, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni. Stir in the spinach and let sit for a minute off the heat. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.
• Using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. If using a regular blender fill only half way and cover the top with a towel pulled down tight, rather than airtight with the lid, because hot soup will jump and push the top off if the blender is closed airtight. Return to the pot and heat through, stirring. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, topping each bowl with a sprinkle of chopped herbs and with other garnishes of your choice.

CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Combine 1 chopped head of celery, 1 chopped large waxy potato, 1 chopped medium onion, and 1 stick unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; season with salt.
• Cook, stirring, until onion is tender, 8-10 minutes.
• Add 3 cups low sodium chicken broth; simmer until potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes. Purée in a blender with 1/4 cup fresh dill; strain. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Serve soup topped with celery leaves, olive oil, and flaky sea salt.

TARRAGON-CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Place a large pot over medium-low heat. Add butter and melt to coat the bottom of the pot. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and celery is softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the heat low enough so that the butter does not burn and onion does not brown or caramelize. Add garlic; cook and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in salt, white pepper, tarragon, and cayenne.
• Meanwhile, place a medium pot over very low heat. Add milk and chicken broth and allow to warm slowly. Do not allow to boil or scald.
• Stir flour into the vegetable mixture until no dry flour remains. Pour in all but 1 cup of the warm liquid and bring to a low simmer.
• Whisk cornstarch into the remaining cup of liquid until there are no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the vegetables. Stir in sherry. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until warm throughout and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Blend half of the soup in the bowl of a food processor or blender, then add back into the pot and serve.