Weekend Cooking...

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.  Our hostess is Beth Fish of Beth Fish Reads.
Sunday, or should I say weekends finds me cooking up a storm, just in case.  Over the last few years things happen and meals are needed without much preparation.  Like this weekend, my son and husband came down with some stomach bug.  So you know what you planned on eating isn't going to be, since all they really need is a bowl of soup.  I usually make my chicken soup on Saturday night, and then continue to make some wonderful creations.  Many times the source of my creation is the Food and Drink Magazine found at our LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) or liquor stores.  It's a free publication. I haven't picked up this copy, but I think I may have every other one that has been out.  One of my favourite soups is the  Celeric Pear.

Celeriac and Pear Soup with Stilton and Walnuts Holiday 2007
By: Marilyn Bentz-Crowley

 

Knobby celeriac is not very attractive, but inside hides a delicious interior, which is used quite effectively with pear in this appealing soup.

1 medium celeriac, about 1½ lbs (750 g)
2 ripe pears
1 medium Yukon Gold potato
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter*
1 medium onion, diced*
2 cloves garlic, sliced*
4 cups (1 L) chicken stock or broth
1 bay leaf*
4 to 5 oz (125 to 150 g) Stilton cheese
½ cup (125 mL) toasted walnuts, chopped
¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper

1. Using a chef’s knife, trim off outside of celeriac until creamy white interior is visible; some brownish spots remain. Cut celeriac into 1-inch (2.5-cm) dice. Peel, core and cut pears into chunks. Peel potato; cut into chunks.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in celeriac, pear and potato; add stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Since my husband doesn't like garlic I skip the garlic and bay leaf.

3. Meanwhile, crumble Stilton with a fork; stir in walnuts and parsley. Cover and set aside at room temperature or up to half a day in the refrigerator.

4. When vegetables are tender, purée soup in batches in food processor or blender. Return to saucepan. Stir in cream, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate soup for up to 3 days. Soup does not freeze well due to the potato.) Reheat soup until hot, but do not boil. Ladle into warmed soup bowls; garnish with a small spoonful of cheese mixture.

I find I like to see my soup bits, so I just use a potato masher instead of the food processor, the veg. are really tender and this works fine. (one less thing to wash)

Serves 8 to 10

Just my own thoughts.

This ingredients can be halved to make this a smaller version or doubled to make it a bigger version. If you half it, and use just half a celeriac, you can shredded it add a shredded apple and grated carrot and make coleslaw, yummy. (Celeriac browns quickly so use a little lemon juice on the cut/shredded edges to prevent this.) You may want to serve this at another meal, goes great with pork, ham, or poultry, but my son  eats it like chips, with anything.

Just a P.S.  you do not have to use the stilton, I just love it thought.