Autumn has well and truly arrived. Gone are the light dresses and t-shirts, except for my teenage daughter who still insists on wearing the skimpiest of shorts (with the compulsory hoodie!). For me, boots and coats are back in service, as well as fluffy pyjamas and bed socks!! Oh, the feeling of curling up on the lounge with a hot cup of tea ( or a mulled wine, depending on the mood…) all wrapped up in comfy “interior wear”…
Unsurprisingly, comfort food is on the menu these days, and soups have become regulars at our table. At the moment I am obsessed with celery soup. For the flavour, but also because it uses all the bits of vegetables that are always left in the bottom drawers of our fridge: celery sticks, broccoli stems, lonely onions… And not only is it comforting and filling when eaten warm with crusty bread, it is equally satisfying and delicious served cold! This recipe is so simple and quick, I think I might buy extra celery and broccoli, just so that I can turn them into soup.

Celery Soup

Serves 6 as a starter

Ingredients

4 celery sticks, including leaves, washed and trimmed
2 large broccoli stems ( left from using the florets for another dish), trimmed and roughly chopped
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
750ml store-bought chicken stock ( home made is ok too!)

1. In a large pot, soften the onion in 2 tbsp of butter. Add the vegetables and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes or until very soft.
2. Transfer the mixture in a blender and whizz until creamy and smooth, adding more stock/hot water if too thick. Careful! It will be very hot, use a tea towel to cover the top of the blender, to ensure the hot soup does not leak out!
3. Taste for saltiness, if using store-bought stock it will already be salty. Season with white pepper and extra salt if desired.
4. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream or enjoy cold with a a splash of extra olive oil and a a sprinkle of pumpkin and sunflower seeds.