 |
Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 8 |
|
This soup has a wonderful combination of apples, bacon (I use a bacon substitute) and leeks. Not too sweet, with a nice bite. Sweet-tart apples and smokey bacon play off one another nicely. Good Fall soup, or Thanksgiving side dish which was when I made it. I could not find celery root so I added a few more stalks of celery. Can be made a day ahead, refrigerated and reheated for the next day. Leftover apple rings make a great snack. From a 2006 issue of Cottage Living, a Sara Foster recipe. Ingredients:
1 red onion, chopped |
2 tablespoons olive oil |
3 celery ribs, chopped (1 1/2 cups) |
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and chopped |
3 garlic cloves, minced |
4 tart apples, peeled and chopped (about 2 pounds) |
3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 3/4 pounds) |
1 large celery root, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 pound) |
1 1/2 quarts vegetable broth |
1 cup apple juice |
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger |
1 1/2 teaspoons salt |
1 1/4 teaspoons pepper |
1/2 cup milk or 1/2 cup half-and-half |
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives |
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped |
1 apple, very thinly sliced |
1 -2 tablespoon sugar |
salt (optional) |
6 -8 slices crispy bacon or 6 -8 slices imitation bacon or 6 -8 slices crispy pancetta |
fresh chives, chopped |
Directions:
1. Saute onion in hot oil over medium-low heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add celery and leek and saute 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes.
2. Stir in apples and next 8 ingredients (through pepper). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 and thinly slice apple for apple rings using a mandoline if possible. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, and place apple slices in a single layer on sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and bake about 15 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with salt, if desired.
4. Remove soup from heat and let cool slightly. Process with an immersion blender, or place soup in a food processor or blender and process in batches until smooth. Return to pot.
5. Stir in milk or half-and-half and next 2 ingredients; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Top with oven-baked apple slices, bacon (vegetarian or regular or crispy pancetta) and chives.
|
|