Two soups with apples
Apples are one of Britain’s best-loved fruits as we munch our way through hundreds of thousands of tonnes each year. And, around a couple of hundred thousand tonnes of apples are pressed each year to make cider. We also use them in cooking to make cakes, puddings, crumbles, tarts, soufflés, etc. However, have you ever thought of including apples in soup?
Here are two easy to make soups with apples as a key ingredient:
Apple, Celery and Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
3 oz (75 g) butter
8 oz (225 g) chopped onions
8 oz (225 g) chopped carrots
2 lb (1 kg) chopped celery
3 pints (1.75 litres) chicken stock
2 ib 91 kg) well-ripened chopped tomatoes
1 Ib (500 g) peeled and chopped Bramley apples
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Garnish:
Diced eating apples
Croutons
NB: For a slight variation of the soup replace the onions with leeks. You could also add ¼ pint (150 ml) of double cream to the soup for a creamed version.
SERVES 6
Method
Melt the butter in a large pan, then add the carrots, onions and celery. Place lid on pan and soften vegetables for around 15 minutes on low heat. Add the stock, tomatoes and apples and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Gently simmer for around 30 minutes. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender and then pass the liquid through a sieve. Return the soup to a pan and reheat. Check if soup requires further seasoning, adding if required. Serve up the soup, and then garnish with chopped apples and croutons.
Celeriac and Apple Soup
Ingredients:
3 oz (75 g) butter
1 head of celeriac peeled and chopped into cubes
4 pints (2.25 litres) chicken stock
5 No. peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples
¼ pint (150 ml) double cream
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Garnish:
Diced apples
Celery leaves
NB: For alternative garish try celeriac chips and fried sage
SERVES 6 to 8
Method
Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan. Sweat the celeriac and apples for around 5 minutes until soft. Add the stock and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender and then pass through a sieve. Return the soup to a pan and reheat, thinning by adding more chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Swirl in the cream, serve up and then garnish with the diced apples and celery leaves.
Header image credit: Anticiclo/Shutterstock.com
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