I often use celery as a base ingredient for other soups, but it's also great as the main ingredient.
1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Knob of butter (optional)
200g white onions (preferably Spanish)
125g fennel (excluding stalks and tough outer leaves)
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
500g jarred white beans and their cooking liquid
500-600ml of vegetable or chicken stock
Seasoning
- Top and tail the celery stalks.
- Slice the larger pieces of celery lengthways, then cut all of the stalks into chunks.
- Top and tail the spring onions and then cut into slices.
- Peel and dice the potato and onion.
- Heat the oil and butter (if using) in the bottom of a large pan.
- When the butter has melted, add the onions, celery and potato and cook over a low heat until the onion becomes translucent and the potato starts to soften.
- Pour in 500ml of the stock, season well and bring to the boil.
- Turn down the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Blend the soup and then adjust the consistency by adding more stock and seasoning as required.
