13: Puree of Celery Soup

Homemade soup is something new for me. I made an out-of-this-world silky cauliflower soup last Thanksgiving, and it came out so well I have been making different soups since then. One night I was bored with few items in the fridge, took an inventory of what I had, and I made a potato and leek soup. This particular soup is close to the potato and leek soup.

This is a classic puree of celery soup,  wonderfully aromatic and incredibly delicious! It’s incredibly quick and highly versatile. I garnished it with toasted sourdough bread crumbs and celery leaves, but you could easily add crispy bacon pieces to it as well. 

Note: Soup will thicken in fridge, and this recipe made over a quart of soup. I served two bowls and still had enough to fill a quart-sized container. To re-heat another time, add a little water to the pot. Heat through without boiling and enjoy as many times as your batch allows you to do so.

Ingredients and Directions:

-1 lb fresh celery, 5-7 stalks (save the leaves for garnish)

-1 medium red potato, skin on, roughly chopped

-2 tbs butter (or olive oil)

-1medium onion, roughly chopped

-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

-1 cup dry white wine (I used chablis), separated in halves

-3.5 cups chicken stock

-about one tbs each of rosemary, thyme, and oregano

-salt and pepper to taste  

-chunky bread crumbs for garnish

Chop celery, potato, and onion into roughly same-sized pieces, no more than one inch thick.

Heat butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is slightly translucent, stirring frequently. Now add half the wine and reduce by half, about 4-6 minutes.

Now add the chicken stock, remaining wine, herbs, and the potato to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. The celery and potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork. Be careful not to overcook. It should not be mushy.

Remove from heat and puree the mixture in a blender. Be careful here because the steam can blow the lid off a blender or food processor. Leave the lid slightly ajar during the first few pulses to release steam. Now you can cover it properly and puree.

Return the puree to the pot, add salt and pepper, and re-heat.

I had some two day old sourdough bread I needed to use. Dice the bread and toast in skillet over medium heat until brown on one side. Flip over and toast the other side.

Serve, garnish with bread crumbs, parsley leaves, and enjoy!