Celery Bisque With Stilton Toasts Recipes

CELERY BISQUE WITH STILTON TOASTS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery and leeks. Sauté until celery is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and 4 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until all vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to same pot. Whisk in 1/3 cup crème fraîche and cayenne pepper. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before serving, adding more broth to thin if desired.)
• Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 to 2 teaspoons additional crème fraîche into each. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve with Stilton Toasts.

CELERY AND STILTON SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
• Add the celery and the water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until celery is soft.
• Add 2 1/2 ounces of the Stilton cheese to the soup and mix well. Puree the soup in small batches in a blender or food processor and transfer it to a clean pot. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Stilton can be very salty, so beware!
• Pour into individual bowls, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and garnish with the watercress.

CELERY TOASTS

Steps:

• Toast the bread to golden. Butter generously, "wall to wall." Lay cheese slices on top of buttered toast, neatly, evenly.
• In a small bowl, stir together the celery and the scallions. Microplane the garlic into the celery mixture.
• Dress with olive oil, lemon juice and salt, and stir very well, until completely dressed, almost wet with dressing.
• Mound the shaved celery salad evenly on top of the blue-cheese toasts, and grind black pepper over them very generously. Cut each in half or quarters.

STILTON TOASTS

Steps:

• Using back of fork, mash cheese and crème fraîche in small bowl to blend.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange baguette slices on rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil. Bake until just crisp, turning once, about 10 minutes. Spread cheese mixture on toasts. Bake until cheese mixture melts, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle toasts with parsley.

CELERY BISQUE WITH STILTON TOASTS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery and leeks. Sauté until celery is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and 4 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until all vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to same pot. Whisk in 1/3 cup crème fraîche and cayenne pepper. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before serving, adding more broth to thin if desired.).
• Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 to 2 teaspoons additional crème fraîche into each. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve with Stilton Toasts.
• To make toasts: Using back of fork, mash cheese and crème fraîche in small bowl to blend.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Arrange baguette slices on rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil. Bake until just crisp, turning once, about 10 minutes. Spread cheese mixture on toasts. Bake until cheese mixture melts, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle toasts with parsley.

CREAM OF CELERY BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; cook without browning, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or unitl vegetables are tender. Add thyme and rice; cook 1 minute more.
• Add broth to saucepan; reduce to medium. Cook 15 minutes or until rice is very tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Purée mixture in blender with cream; serve immediately.
• SERVING TIPS: Serve with a garnish of croutons, additional diced celery or a sprinkling of minced herbs. Makes an excellent accompaniment to any entrée featuring chicken breast.