Celery Soup with celery leaf, asian pear and blue cheese relish.

soup fixings

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced fine
• 2 cups celery, sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup cream

relish

• 2 tablespoons celery leaves, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup asian pear, diced
• 4 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. SOUP Heat butter in a saute pan till bubbly. Add shallots, garlic and celery. Saute for a minute. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Pu the soup through a blender. ( I prefer a regular blender over the immersion kind as it gives the soup a better texture) Pour soup back into pan and add cream. Heat gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot in a bowl , topped with a heaping tablespoon of the relish.
2. RELISH Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Use by the tablespoonful..