Ingredients - serves 8
(For the soup)
1 Celeriac, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Onions (white), diced
4 Apples, chopped (with skin)
1 Celery stalk, roughly chopped
3 baby potatoes, cut in half
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 litre chicken stock (for vegan/vegetarian use 2 litres of veg stock instead)
1 litre veg stock
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 Sprigs thyme (leaves only)
Salt & Pepper to season
(For the optional topping - leave off if vegan & remove bacon if vegetarian)
2 Slices of bacon, sliced into thin strips
20-25 sage leaves
A handful of walnuts, crushed
1 tbsp creme fraiche (per bowl of soup)
Cooking Instructions
Place a large saucepan on a medium heat and add the coconut oil. Allow to melt and then add the onions, celery and garlic. Cover with a lid and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the celeriac, apples, potatoes and thyme, cover with the lid and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, again stirring a few times. Remove the lid and pour in the 2litres of stock. Season well, stir the soup and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low-medium and allow the soup to simmer for 30minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the 30minutes is complete, check that the celeriac is tender and remove from the heat (if it isn’t tender, give it a few more minutes). Blend the soup, give it a taste and season again if it needs it and serve.
For the topping (optional)
Place a frying pan on a high heat with a little only. Fry for 4 mins until the bacon is nice and crispy and brown around the edges. Add the sage leaves into the pan and fry for another 1 min (turning once to crisp up both sides).
Into each bowl of soup, add a tablespoon of crème fraiche into the middle of the soup, sprinkle over a couple of crushed walnuts, a few bits of bacon and a few crispy sage leaves.