INGREDIENTS
1oz butter
1 onion - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
700g/1lb 8oz celeriac, peeled and cut into small cubes
50g/2oz streaky bacon, cut into small pieces (+ extra for decoration if desired)
1 leek - the white only, chopped
2 stick celery, chopped
2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 litre/1¾ pint hot chicken stock
200ml/7floz double cream (or just milk for a lighter calorie count!)
salt and white pepper to taste
METHOD
For the soup, heat a large frying pan or saucepan until medium hot, add the butter, the onion and bacon and fry for a couple of minutes to just soften. Add the garlic, leek, celery and thyme sprigs (or dried thyme) and fry for another minute; then add the chopped celeriac. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. When boiling - turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the celeriac is just tender.
Blend the soup to a fine purée using a liquidiser or a stick blender. Sieve and return to the heat in a pan. Add the cream / milk and bring back to a soft boil.
Meanwhile for the crispy bacon bits for the top of the soup: Fry small bacon bits until crisp and place on kitchen paper and pat to take out the oil / fat - this will keep them nice and crisp.
Season with salt and white pepper. Serve the hot soup in bowls with crusty brown bread.
