Name: Celeriac soup with oysters
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 125 gm unsalted butter; ½ onion, coarsely chopped; ½ leek, coarsely chopped; 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped; 2 small celeriac (about 1.5kg), peeled and coarsely chopped; 2 desiree potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped; 18 Pacific oysters, freshly shucked; 60 ml pouring cream (¼ cup)

Celeriac is a wonderfully versatile vegetable at this time of year. It’s great used raw, julienned and mixed with grain mustard mayonnaise, or mashed and served with beef or game. Our favourite is a soup. – Jeremy Strode, Bistrode

Ingredients

125 gm unsalted butter

½ onion, coarsely chopped

½ leek, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

2 small celeriac (about 1.5kg), peeled and coarsely chopped

2 desiree potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

18 Pacific oysters, freshly shucked

60 ml pouring cream (¼ cup)

Method

Main

1.Melt butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat, add onion, leek and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add celeriac and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes and 2 litres of water, increase heat to medium, bring to the boil and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until celeriac and potatoes are cooked. Remove from heat.

2.Process soup in batches using a food processor or blender until smooth, then pass through a strainer and season to taste. Divide soup among warm bowls, top each with 3 oysters, drizzle with cream and serve.

Jane Strode

Jeremy

Styling by Emma Knowles