Cream of Celery Soup

By á-73576

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 7 stalks celery, tough strings removed, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup celery leaves, chopped, 1/8 cup cooked with celery, other 1/8 cup stirred in five minutes before serving
• 6 baby leeks, cleaned, sliced in half lengthwise then chopped fine (2 onions may be used in lieu of leeks and shallot)
• 1 shallot, chopped fine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, evenly measured
• 3 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock may be used)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• a couple generous pinches each of coarse kosher salt and cracked black pepper, over the celery mixture while cooking,and to taste before serving

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from spicedpeachblog.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a soup pot or medium size enameled cast iron pot, melt butter on very low heat then add in the celery, chopped celery leaves, leeks, and shallot, or onions if using alternatively, sprinkle ingredients in pot with salt and pepper. Cook celery mixture on very low heat for about thirty five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in smoked paprika, stir, and cook for two minutes then sprinkle in the flour and cook for another four minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, add the bay leaves, increase heat to medium and cook soup for another thirty five minutes, approximately, turn off heat. Working in batches, crank the celery mixture with some liquid through a food mill placed over a glass bowl, being sure to scrape the mesh on the bottom with a spatula now and again while continuing to process the soup. Once ingredients have gone through the food mill, pour the collected soup in the glass bowl back into the pot. Heat soup again then pour in heavy cream, stir through. Check seasoning adding more salt to taste if desired.