Celery Vichyssoise Food

CELERIAC VICHYSSOISE (CHILLED CELERY SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat, add the onions, thyme, bay leaf and garlic and cook slowly for 2-3 minutes, until soft but not brown.
• Add the potatoes, celeriac and lemon juice to the pan and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Fill a food processor half full with the soup ingredients and puree until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Repeat until all of the soup has been processed.
• Pour the soup into a large serving bowl and season to taste. Leave to cool, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Stir in the double cream just before serving, and garnish with chives or celery leaves.
• For Vegetarian do not use the Chicken broth.

VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• Put the leeks, potatoes, celery and onions in a pot. Add mineral water to cover and season with salt and pepper. Cover, bring to a boil and simmer until very tender. Puree and strain into a glass bowl. Thin with the cream, and with more liquid if needed. Let cool, then chill.
• Before serving, thin the soup to the desired consistency with more water or milk. (You can also use chicken stock, but if you're trying to be vegetarian, then obviously don't.) Check the seasonings. Serve sprinkled with chives.

VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in the pressure cooker pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, celery leaves and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring often, until soft, approximately 8 minutes. If the leeks start to brown during this process, reduce the heat.
• Drain the potato pieces and add to the pot along with the simmering chicken broth. Clamp on the cooker's lid, (according to the manufacturer's instructions) and bring to full pressure over high heat.
• Once pressure is attained (there will be a loud whistle) back the heat down to medium-low, just maintaining a hissing of steam for 8 minutes.
• Kill the heat and release the steam pressure by opening the dump valve or setting the cooker under cold, running water. When the lid can be removed, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender carafe. (If the mixture fills your carafe more than two-thirds full, work in two batches!)
• Top the carafe with the main lid but remove the center lid so that air can escape as it heats and expands. Cover the lid tightly with a tea towel and blend on low for 1 minute before slowly increasing the speed to smoothly puree the potatoes. (Although you want to increase the speed slowly, try not to puree the potatoes too long as they could become gummy.)
• Transfer the mixture back to the pot and whisk in the cream. Stir in the white pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning (I always need the rest of the salt). Chill thoroughly then serve garnished with a small spoonful of the roe and dill fronds.
• Tightly covered, the vichyssoise will keep a week in the refrigerator. The soup can also be frozen in ice-cube trays then kept in freezer bags for up to three months.

CELERY VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• Saute 1 chopped onion in 1 T butter until softened, about 5 minute.
• Stir in 1 T flour.
• Stir in chicken or Vegetable broth which ever you are using and fresh ground black pepper.
• Add 2 cubed peeled potatoes and 1 bunch sliced celery, about 6 cups.
• Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, from 20 - 25 minutes.
• Puree in a food processor or blender.
• Reheat with 1 cup milk.
• Serves 4 - 6.

SAFFRON VICHYSSOISE

Steps:

• In a heavy kettle cook the leek, the onion, the celery, the carrots, the thyme, the bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste in the butter over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Add the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the saffron, the wine, the broth, and the water and simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. Discard the bay leaf and in a blender purée the soup in batches, transferring the soup as it is puréed to a large bowl. Stir in the half-and-half and salt and pepper to taste, let the soup cool, and chill it for at least 8 hours or overnight.

CHILLED CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Wash leek well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain.
• Cook celery, onion, and leek in oil in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients (vegetables may not be fully submerged) and simmer, covered, until celery and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Purée in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then force through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, then discarding them. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold. Season with salt. Serve chilled or at room temperature.