Celery & apple soup | Daily Mail Online

SERVES 4

2 heads of celery

25g unsalted butter

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 eating apple (approx 150g), peeled, cored and diced

150ml white wine

600ml turkey or vegetable stock

sea salt and black pepper

3 heaped tbsp finely snipped chives

4 tsp crème fraîche

• Slice the celery hearts and stalks that would be tender enough to eat raw, and keep the rest for the stockpot – you should have 400g-500g in total.
• Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium-low heat and fry the celery and onion for about 10 minutes until softened, glossy and starting to colour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the apple, add the wine and simmer until well reduced, then add the stock and some seasoning. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pour most of the liquid into a large bowl through a sieve and liquidise the remaining vegetables in batches in a blender, very thoroughly to break up any fibres. Stir this back in with the rest of the stock and add 2 tablespoons of the chives. Serve with a teaspoon of crème fraîche in the centre, and one of the trimmings (below), with the remaining chives scattered over the top.

THE TRIMMINGS

Turkey Pile 100g finely shredded cooked turkey in the centre of the soup on top of the crème fraîche.

Cheese Scatter 75g crumbled stilton, lancashire or goat’s cheese and 40g finely chopped walnuts over the soup.

Seafood Pile 100g thin strips of smoked salmon or crabmeat in the centre of the soup on top of the crème fraîche.

TIP You can make the soup in advance and freeze it.