Hearty Celery Soup

When the autumn leaves start falling, what better recipe to cook up than homemade soup? Something about it's simplicity and heartiness just makes me fall in love. I had tons of celery in the fridge and wanted to make something that could easily be stored for future meals, and knowing that I had potatoes and onions left from earlier in the week too, made me think soup.

So here is a delicious and really simple recipe for a pureed celery soup that is certain to warm you right up on one of these cool September nights!

(Photo courtesy of The Daily Green)

Pureed Celery Soup

(from About.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound celery
• 1 medium potato
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 peeled clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and cut celery into ½ - 1 inch thick pieces. (To cook evenly)
2. Wash and peel the potato, cutting it into the same size pieces as the celery.
3. In a large soup pot, heat the butter over a low-to-medium heat.
4. Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the onion is slightly translucent.
5. Add the wine and cook for another few minutes. (Until the wine has reduce by half)
6. Add the vegetable stock and the potato, increasing the heat to medium-high and bringing to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the celery and potatoes are soft enough that they can easily be pierced with a knife.
7. Remove from heat and purée in a blender, working in batches if necessary.
8. Return puréed soup to pot and bring to a simmer again.
9. Season to taste with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Yields six 8-oz. servings of soup.

Happy Cooking!

Jessica