As demonstrated by Chef Ryan Smith at the Freedom Farmers Market. If you have a juicer, then you’re set to make your own celery juice. Otherwise, consider substituting vegetable broth. The resulting soup is way more than the sum of its simple parts.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil Green onions Sea salt Celery 2 cups celery juice or vegetable stock 2 lemons 1/4 loaf sourdough bread 2 bunches baby carrots, washed and shaved into thin rings
Preparation:
Slightly warm the olive oil up in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cut the white bottoms off the green onions and reserve the tops. Add the onion bottoms to the pot of oil and season with a pinch of salt. Slowly cook the onions, stirring constantly to prevent color.
While the onions are cooking cut the leaves off the celery. Slice the celery stems into inch pieces and add to the pot. Continue to cook the onions and celery for 10 minutes.
Add the celery juice (or vegetable stock) and bring to a boil. Once the juice is at a boil add the celery leaves and green onion tops. Cook for 1 minute and take off the heat.
Prepare an ice bath and submerge a container into it that will hold the finished soup. Puree the soup in a blender on high until completely smooth. Strain the soup directly into the container in the ice bath. Chill the soup as fast as possible to retain the vibrant green color. Adjust the seasoning and reserve the soup until ready to serve.
Dice the sourdough into small bite size pieces. Fry the sourdough in a small pot of oil over medium heat until golden brown.
Make a small salad of lemon zest and juice, carrots, and the fried sourdough. Season the salad with a little sea salt and olive oil.
To serve, place 2 ounces of the soup in a bowl. Top the soup with the salad and a little bit of celery leaves and carrot tops.