Celery Bisque With Stilton Toasts Recipes

CELERY SHRIMP BISQUE

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a large dutch oven.
• Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Mix flour and half-and-half in small bowl.
• Add to potatoes, stirring well.
• Add shrimp.
• Add butter and celery salt.
• Cook on medium until thick and bubbly.
• Stir in sherry.

CELERY BISQUE WITH STILTON TOASTS

Steps:

• Soup 1. Heat butter in large, deep-sided pot with lid over medium, high heat. When hot, add leeks and celery and sauté, stirring for 4 minutes. Add potatoes and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, at a simmer until all vegetables are tender (20-25 minutes). 2. Puree' the soup in batches and return to pot, or use immersion blender. Stire in 2/3 c. creme fraiche. Taste soup and season with 2 t. salt and the cayenne pepper. 3. To server, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parsley, a dollop of creme fraiche and stilton toast. Stilton Toasts 1. Arrange toasts on a cookie sheet and lightly coat both sides of sliced french bread with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees until just brown on each side. 2. Use fork to mix together the crumbled Stilton and creme fraiche. Top each toast with a little dollop of the mixture and spread. Put back in the oven for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley.

CELERY-ROOT BISQUE WITH SHIITAKES

Steps:

• Cook celery root, chopped celery, and shallots in 1/2 stick butter in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add water, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then return to pot.
• Stir in cream and reheat bisque over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.
• While bisque is reheating, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer mushrooms with a slotted spoon to a plate and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet. Cook butter over moderate heat, swirling skillet, until browned, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a small bowl.
• Serve bisque topped with mushrooms and drizzled with brown butter.

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 ROOT BISQUE WITH THYME CROUTONS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add celery; cover and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add shallots; sauté uncovered 3 minutes. Stir in celery root cubes and potato, then broth and 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme. Increase heat to high; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Working in batches, transfer soup to blender and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Stir cream into soup and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with additional chopped thyme and serve.

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.

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.