This velvety celeriac and apple soup is a great go-to on chilly evenings when you’re craving something cosy to eat. Topped with crispy bacon, sourdough breadcrumbs and chilli oil, it’s got layers of flavour and contrasting textures that make every spoonful a delight. Pick up all of the ingredients from the farm shop and give it a go – it might just be the best soup you make this season.
Ingredients:
• 75g butter
• 3 Braeburn apples (or any sweet variety), peeled and diced
• 3 brown onions, sliced
• 3 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1 large celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 chunky carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 500ml can chicken stock
• 500ml water
• Handful of fresh thyme leaves
• Sea salt & black pepper
Toppings:
• 200g pot of creme fraiche
• 2 slices of sourdough cut into breadcrumbs
• Oil for toasting
• Handful of parsley, finely chopped
• Drizzle of chilli oil
1) Add the butter to a large saucepan and heat on medium heat. Add the apples, cooking until caramelised (around 5-6 minutes), set aside on a plate.
2) Add the onions and garlic to the pan, cooking until slightly softened, then add the celeriac, carrot and potatoes, season well and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
3) Tip in the thyme, pour in the chicken stock, and let everything cook on a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the water a little at a time, stirring now and again over a low heat until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked through – around 20 minutes.
4) Let the soup cool down slightly in the pan and then use a hand held blender to blitz it to a soup. If it’s too thick, get it back onto the hob on a low heat and add more water until you get your desired consistency.
5) In a dry pan, fry the bacon strips on both sides until crispy, then chop into pieces. Fry the breadcrumbs in oil until golden and crispy.
6) Ladle the soup into warm bowls, swirl in a spoonful of creme fraiche, top with the croutons, crispy bacon bits, chopped parsley, chilli oil and some cracked black pepper.
There is a Secretts recipe in every edition of Premier Magazine. Browse the latest edition HERE
