CELERY ROOT SOUP w/BACON & GREEN APPLE

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4 SERVINGS
• If you decide to omit the bacon, substitute 1 tablespoon butter when you cook your vegetables.
• 3 medium leeks (3/4 lb), white and pale green parts only
• 3 bacon slices (2 oz)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb celery root, peeled with a knife and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 3/4 celery rib, very thinly sliced on a long diagonal (1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup inner celery leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: an adjustable-blade slicer

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Halve leeks lengthwise, then coarsely chop.

Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out onto paper towels and pat dry.

Cook bacon in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer to paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 teaspoons fat from pot, then add oil and cook leeks over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes.

Add celery root and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add water and broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until celery root is very tender, 35 to 40 minutes.


While soup simmers, thinly slice apple lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with slicer, working around core, then cut slices into 1/8-inch matchsticks with a knife. Gently toss with celery and celery leaves.

Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl.

Return soup to cleaned pot. (If soup is too thick, thin with 1/2 to 3/4 cup water.)

Stir in salt, pepper, and half-and-half and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm.

Season with salt, then divide among 4 bowls and top with apple-celery mixture and coarsely crumbled bacon.

COOKS NOTE:

Soup, without half-and-half, can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

Reheat over moderately low heat, then add half-and-half and cook until heated through.

Cool bacon completely, then chill, wrapped in paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Recrisp in a preheated 300F oven 6 to 8 minutes, or wrap in a paper towel and recrisp in a microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Prepare apple-celery mixture while reheating soup and recrisping bacon.