Celeriac soup with pumpkin seeds and chilli oil recipe

Created by Jai Shaikh, head chef at The Wolseley City, London, this creamy soup combines the rich, earthy taste of celeriac with a warming kick of chilli oil. It’s a classic, easy-to-make winter warmer.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 80g olive oil
• 80g onion, chopped
• 10g garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 50g vegetable stock cubes
• 1kg celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks
• 180g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2g thyme sprigs
• 25g pumpkin seeds
• 10g crushed chilli flakes
• 5g smoked paprika powder
• 5g chives, finely chopped
• cheese gougères and truffle oil, to serve (optional)

Method

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• Heat 30ml of the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, and fry the onions for 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
• In a separate pan, dilute the stock cubes in 2 litres of warm water and whisk well while bringing to the boil. Then pass the stock through a strainer to remove any lumps. Set aside.
• Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
• While the oven’s heating up, add the celeriac, potatoes, thyme sprigs and some seasoning to the onions. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes, or until the celeriac and potatoes are tender.
• Once the oven’s hot, toast the pumpkin seeds by spreading them on a baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper, for 3-5 minutes.
• To make the chilli oil, combine the remaining 50ml olive oil with the chilli flakes and smoked paprika in a saucepan and heat gently over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Do not let the oil smoke. Once you can smell the chilli, strain the oil through a fine sieve and set aside.
• Once the potatoes and celeriac are tender, remove the pan from the heat and discard the thyme sprigs. Whizz the soup until smooth with a stick blender. Check the seasoning.
• To serve, divide the soup between 8 bowls and top with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds, a spoonful of chilli oil and some chives. If desired, add a few cheese gougères and a dash of truffle oil.

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