celery soup

2016-04-25

Many people like celery in a supporting role, but might not care for it as the dominant flavor. Cooking takes the sharpest edge of the celery flavor and a potato may mellow that even more.

Serve the soup after simmering 20 minutes to have crunchy celery. (Pic1+3) The meat needs to cook for several hours, but the celery would be hopelessly overcooked and without any flavor by then. If you like it with a stronger meat broth, cook the meat first and add the celery about 30 minutes before the meat is done. (Pic4)

Vegetarians can leave out the meat and just make a vegtable broth, with or without onion, garlic, potato. That is not as calorie-heavy, but quite delicious as well.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 4 servings:

  • 1 head celery, cleaned, chopped coarse
  • 1 onion, chopped coarse
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled minced
  • 1 qt. vegetable/beef stock
    OR water and 1 lb. soup meat
  • S&P
  • optional:
    • 1 potato, diced
Pic1: celery in beef shank stock after 20 minutes

Directions

 

Pic2: load the pot
Pic3: serve the celery soup after 20 minutes simmering, before the broth gets too dark
Pic4: celery in beef shank broth after several hours