VEGETARIAN

SERVES 2
Celery raw is good for the Jaw, but celery stewed is more easily chewed.

Why did I suddenly think of that. I have a vague memory of hearing that at nursery school. I also seem to remember that one would expend more energy eating raw celery than you would get energy from digesting it. Must be a tip there for slimmers.

Enough of this rambling. Here is our recipe for celery soup

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SOUP

6 oz (170 g) Celery Finely Sliced
1 Small Onion (About 2 tablespoons) Finely Chopped
6 oz (170 g) Potato
1/2 oz (15 g) Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 1/2 Pints (840 ml) Vegetable Stock
Salt
2 Tablespoons of Double Cream
Chopped Parsley

 

FOR THE VEGETABLE STOCK

1 Medium Sized Potato, Roughly Chopped
1 Carrot Roughly Chopped
1 Leek Sliced White Part Only
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Medium Sized Onion Roughly Chopped
1 Stick of Celery Roughly Chopped
1 Bay Leaf
1 Small Bunch of Parsley
12 Black peppercorns
5 fl oz (150 ml) Dry White Wine
2 Pints (1.2 L) Water

 

PREPARATION

Start by making the stock.You do not have to be exact about quantities here, use what is at hand.

Roughly chop everything and put in a pan with the water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the wine, bring back to the boil briefly to drive off the alcohol, and leave to cool.

Whilst the stock is simmering, melt the butter in a large pan together with the olive oil and gently fry the onion and celery until soft, about 10 minutes, say.

Add the vegetable stock when it's ready, peel and cut the potato into inch dice and add also. Use floury potatoes, the kind you would use for mashed potato.

Bring to boiling point and simmer for about 40 minutes. The potatoes need to be really soft so they would break up if you crush them against the side of the pan with your wooden spoon.

Put three quarters of the soup in a blender and liquidise it. Mix the liquidised soup back in the pan with the un-liquidised soup. Season to taste with salt, add the cream and stir it in.
Serve and sprinkle the top with a little chopped parsley.

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