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Celery Soup Stocks are good in soup, but they are not absolutely necessary. Vegetable soups in particular are very good made with water. The soup develops the distinctive taste of the vegetables without any conflicting flavor from the stock. This Celery Soup, which is made with water, is tasty and inexpensive. If you use large ribs of celery, peel them first, because they are often fibrous. To check, scratch the top of the ribs with your thumbnail to see if there are a lot of strings. Use the leafy parts of the celery, too; they add flavor to the soup. Many other soups can be prepared in the same manner. You could use a few pieces of leftover vegetables, such as a rib of celery, a bit of lettuce, an onion, or a limp carrot. We puree this soup to make it creamy, but you could grate the vegetables with a hand grater for a different texture. When the vegetables are cut thin, the soup takes only 10 to 15 minutes to cook. The soup can be thickened in many different ways. Try a piece of bread in each soup bowl or several pieces in a large soup tureen and pour the soup on top. Or thicken it with a roux (a mixture of butter and flour), or with potato flour, rice flour, or any kind of pastina or thin noodles. Tapioca, semolina, oatmeal, farina, couscous, and cornmeal are sometimes used to thicken soups. All these thickening agents have one thing in common: they cook within a few minutes and can be added at the last moment. 3 cups sliced celery, including some leaves 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup sliced onions 1/2 Cup sliced scallions (including green) 6 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2-teaspoon thyme leaves 1 1/2 Cups (approximately 2 1/4 ounces) loose, very thin egg noodles, sometimes called vermicelli 1 cup milk Peel the celery if necessary with a vegetable peeler. (Save the peelings; they can be used in stock.) Melt the butter in a pot, and add the celery, onions, and scallions. Sauté gently over medium heat for about 2 minutes, just enough to soften the vegetables slightly. Add the water, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the soup and reserve the liquid. Place the solids with a little liquid in a food processor and liquefy; the consistency should be thin. A Return the solids and liquid to the pot and add the noodles. Bring to a boil and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Add the cup of milk, stir, and serve in individual soup bowls. To make the soup a bit richer, put a dab of fresh butter in each bowl and pour the soup on top. The yield should be approximately 7 cups. Cold Cream of Celery Soup Leftover Celery Soup can be served as a cold soup for the next day. This recipe serves 3 to 4. 3 to 4 Cups leftover Celery Soup 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives or parsley Place the leftover soup in a food processor and puree until smooth. Combine with the heavy cream. Garnish with the minced chives or parsley and serve. 6 TO 8 SERVINGS Return to Top | Back to Recipes |
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