Creamy Celery Soup

A notch above in taste and texture. The walnut oil, chestnuts, and almond butter add a welcoming note of nut flavor and creaminess to this soup. Delicious pareve or fleishig.

SERVES 6–8

• 2 Tbsp olive oil or walnut oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 ¹⁄₄ cups chopped leeks
• 8 stalks celery, sliced (if using a bug-free brand, save the leaves)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 rounded Tbsp chicken soup mix, dissolved in 4 cups boiling water
• 1 bay leaf
• ¹⁄₄ tsp salt
• pinch black pepper
• 1 3¹⁄₄-oz (100-g) pkg roasted, peeled chestnuts, plus more for garnish (optional)
• 1 large cube frozen parsley
• 1 large cube frozen basil
• ¹⁄₄ tsp thyme (optional)
• 3 tsp honey
• 2 tsp semi-dry white wine
• 1 rounded Tbsp smooth almond butter

In a 5-quart pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, leeks, and celery and saute for 15– 20 minutes or until somewhat softened. Stir often. Add the garlic at the end and saute an additional minute. Add liquid, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and add chestnuts.

Cook for 15–20 minutes or until veggies are soft. Remove from heat. Add parsley, basil, thyme if using, a net bag with a handful of celery leaves, honey, and wine.

Mix together. Let steep for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and celery leaves. Stir in almond butter.

Blend soup with an immersion blender to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish with croutons or chestnuts for a pareve soup, or sauteed meat cubes for a meat version.

Note: Make sure your celery is light green and fresh, and not dark or bitter.

Tip: This makes a thick soup. If you prefer it thinner, you can add an additional cup of water. To make a meat garnish, heat a little bit of oil in a shallow frying pan. Add meat cubes and quickly saute on all sides until crispy.

Tip: To add more depth of flavor, add a meat bone when sautéing the veggies and cook it along with the soup.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 711)