It’s like a character actor whose face you recognize from your favorite show or movie but have to look up their name every time you meet them to remember who they are.
Get the recipe: Celery Soup
But Celery has a heroic energy that is often overlooked. It can take the lead and is much more than just one of the many ingredients thrown into soups and stocks or given as a freebie when you order buffalo wings. When used raw, it adds a wonderful crunch to salads. Stewed the stems to make an eye-catching side dish. Add to stir-fries. Roast it under the chicken to soak up all the schmaltzy goodness. (You should add the last recipe to your list of recipe ideas.)
That’s just a few things on my mind. The possibilities of celery are limited only by the cook’s imagination.
So, as I was leafing through Erin French’s book Big Heart Little Stove, a recipe for soup that used a whole bunch of celery caught my eye. “Fresh, sweet celery boiled with aromatics and given a decadent richness with butter and cream is nothing short of elegant,” French writes in the recipe introduction. I was drawn to words like “decadent” and “elegant” and used them as inspiration to create my own version.
This recipe calls for a whole stalk of celery, but adding celery seeds to the soup and celery leaves as a garnish will bring out the flavor of the vegetable. (The leaves are packed with flavor and nutrition.) Adding a few Honeycrisp apples or any variety you have on hand adds extra sweetness, and canned white beans add earthiness and richness to the soup. , gives protein.
Simmer in chicken or vegetable broth or stock with onions, garlic, and butter until tender, then puree the entire pot with an immersion blender until smooth. Adding fresh cream at the end makes it even more mellow. (Don’t forget to season!) Finally, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and add a little olive oil to each bowl (to maintain a green palette) for a nutty flavor, texture, and Adds even more richness. .
This soup is bursting with sweet celery flavor, and the different forms of fat in the mix (butter, cream, olive oil) make it taste elegant and decadent. The first spoonful put a smile on my face, and it only grew with every subsequent sip. I’m sure they’ll do the same for you.
Get the recipe: Celery Soup
