Cream of Celery Soup With Blue Cheese |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 30 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Serve this soup hot on cold days or cold on hot days. Organic celery is easy to find, it has a more pronounced taste than conventionally grown celery, and is much better for this soup. Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter |
7 cups celery, chopped (about 1 1/4 lb) |
1 large white onions or 1 large spanish onion, chopped |
1 1/2 cups potatoes, cubed and peeled |
3/4 teaspoon salt |
1 pinch white pepper |
1 pinch nutmeg |
2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth |
3/4 cup whipping cream |
6 ounces bleu benedictin blue cheese, crumbled |
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped |
freshly ground pepper |
Directions:
1. In soup pot, melt butter over medium heat; add celery, onion, potatoes, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if vegetables show any signs of browning, until celery and onion are tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Add broth and 2 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until potatoes are falling aparrt, about 20 minutes.
3. In batches, purée in blender; strain through fine sieve. Reheat soup in clean soup pot; stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in 1 cup of the crumbled cheese until melted.
4. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle chives over soup; top with remaining cheese, Sprinkle with pepper to taste.
5. SWITCH IT UP: Replace butter with olive oil, and whipping cream with sour cream.
6. Cook as directed; after straining puréed hot soup, stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted (if soup isn't hot enough and cheese doesn't melt completely, return to heat and stir until melted) Let cool; whisk in sour cream. Chill in refrigerator. Taste and add more salt if needed (blue cheeses vary in saltiness, and cold soups generally need a little extra). Garnish as above, adding an extra dollop of sour cream, if desired.
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