Creamy Celeriac Soup Food

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the celery, celery root and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the celery is tender, about 7 minutes.
• Add the bay leaf, chicken broth and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the celery root is very soft, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the heavy cream and return to a simmer, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, adding some herbs to each batch; return to the pot and reheat if needed. Stir in the celery salt and serve with toppings.

SWEET AND SPICY SWEET POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat; cook and stir shallots in the hot oil until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir apples, ginger, zest from 1 lime, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper into the pot. Reserve lime juice. Cook and stir mixture until apples are very soft, about 15 minutes.
• Pour chicken broth into pot; add sweet potatoes and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir reserved lime juice into soup. Garnish with lime wedges to serve.

CREAM OF CELERIAC SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter over low hear; cook leeks, covered in this for 5 minutes.
• Add celeriac and cook, covered for 5 minutes.
• Stir in stock and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low; cook, covered for about 35 minutes, or until celeriac is very tender.
• Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree in batches.
• Pass through a food mill or sieve for an even smoother soup.
• Return to saucepan, stir in cream and maple syrup.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Gently heat through.
• Serve in warmed soup bowls.
• Garnish with chives or spring onions.

CREAMY CELERIAC SOUP

Steps:

• For the soup, heat a large frying pan or saucepan until medium hot, add 25g/1oz of the butter, the onion and bacon and fry for a couple of minutes to just soften. Add the garlic, leek, celery and thyme sprigs and fry for another minute; then add the chopped celeriac. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the celeriac is just tender.
• Blend the soup to a fine purée using a stick blender or a blender. Return to the heat in a pan. Add the cream and whisk in the remaining 50g/2oz of butter.
• Season with salt and white pepper. Serve the hot soup in bowls, or keep it warm in the pan if making the garnish.
• For the optional garnish, fry the pancetta until crisp then set aside. Return the frying pan to the heat, add half the butter and the olive oil and heat until foaming. Add the celeriac and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, or until just softened, then remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Add the rest of the butter and the bread to the pan and cook until golden-brown and crisp, tossing to cook on each side. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. To serve, pile the julienned celeriac into the centre of each of four soup plates. Ladle the soup around. Crumble the crispy bacon over the top and then scatter over the croutons. Finish with swirls of extra virgin olive oil and cream.

THE VERY BEST SHE-CRAB SOUP EVER!

Steps:

• Melt 2 TBSP butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and bay leaf, cover, sweat 2 minutes.
• OPTIONAL STEP: Pour 1/4 C sherry in pan and ignite. Stir until flames subside. I've made this without doing this step (hence the range in the amount of sherry on the ingredient list) and it is still delicious, but I think this just gives it a little extra oomph.
• Sprinkle the flour in and stir to coat.
• Whisk in the crab stock until there are no lumps.
• Gradually add: milk; cream; paprika; another 2 TBSP dry sherry; worcestershire sauce; hot sauce; white wine; and lemon, stirring consistently.
• Blend with a puree wand, or in batches in a blender.
• Add half of the crab meat and roe (if you are lucky!) Season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't burn, until it is thick and heated.
• Divide 1/4 C sherry and remaining crab meat and roe amongst 4 bowls. (1 TBSP each sherry and roe and 2 oz. each crab meat).
• Ladle soup over sherry and crab meat.
• Garnish with chopped chives. Serve with crusty french bread.