Tarragon Celery Soup Recipes

TARRAGON-CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Place a large pot over medium-low heat. Add butter and melt to coat the bottom of the pot. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and celery is softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the heat low enough so that the butter does not burn and onion does not brown or caramelize. Add garlic; cook and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in salt, white pepper, tarragon, and cayenne.
• Meanwhile, place a medium pot over very low heat. Add milk and chicken broth and allow to warm slowly. Do not allow to boil or scald.
• Stir flour into the vegetable mixture until no dry flour remains. Pour in all but 1 cup of the warm liquid and bring to a low simmer.
• Whisk cornstarch into the remaining cup of liquid until there are no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the vegetables. Stir in sherry. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until warm throughout and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Blend half of the soup in the bowl of a food processor or blender, then add back into the pot and serve.

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the celery, celery root and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the celery is tender, about 7 minutes.
• Add the bay leaf, chicken broth and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the celery root is very soft, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the heavy cream and return to a simmer, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, adding some herbs to each batch; return to the pot and reheat if needed. Stir in the celery salt and serve with toppings.

CELERY SOUP WITH SOURDOUGH CROUTONS AND TARRAGON SWIRL

Steps:

• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped green onions; sauté 2 minutes. Add sliced celery with leaves, low-salt chicken broth, whiteskinned potato pieces, and celery seeds; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return puree to pot. Stir in 3 tablespoons whipping cream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in small nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add sourdough baguette cubes; sauté until brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Season croutons to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Mix 2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt and 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon in small bowl. Rewarm soup. Divide soup equally among 6 bowls. Drizzle each serving with tarragon yogurt sauce. Sprinkle each serving with sourdough croutons. Garnish with tarragon sprigs and serve immediately.

CREAMY CELERY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion, and potato; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add 6 cups water to saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree soup until smooth. (To prevent splattering, fill blender only halfway, and allow the heat to escape: Remove cap from hole in lid; cover lid with a dish towel, holding down firmly while blending.) Return soup to pan; stir in lemon juice, and season with salt. Serve, garnished with celery leaves.

ROOT-VEGETABLE SOUP WITH ORANGE, GINGER, AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until onion is softened, about 6 minutes (do not let brown). Add parsnip, rutabaga, celery root, thyme, and broth. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Discard thyme. Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth (fill blender only halfway), and transfer to a clean pot.
• Finely grate enough peel of 1 orange to yield 1/2 teaspoon zest. Working over a bowl, cut segments of orange free of membranes, and set aside. Squeeze juice from membranes into a bowl, then squeeze enough juice from remaining orange to yield 1 cup total. Just before serving, reheat to warm. Stir in orange zest, juice, ginger, and water, plus more to thin to desired consistency. Season with salt, and garnish with orange segments, tarragon, and pepper.