CELERIAC, CEPE AND OATMEAL SOUP
– courtesy of Allan Murray

Ingredients

1 celeriac, peeled and diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
100 gm fresh cepes or 20 gm dried cepes
3 tablespoons medium pinhead oatmeal
2 litres chicken or vegetable stock or water
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt & pepper

Note: if unable to find any cepes, any fresh or dried mushroom

Method

Sauté onion at medium heat in a mixture of vegetable oil and butter to soften. Add celeriac and sauté for a few minutes. At this point if the cepes are fresh they should be added sliced and cooked for a couple of minutes. If you are using dried cepes, they don’t have to be soaked, just chop them into small pieces and add for a minute. Now add the oatmeal and cook for a minute or two, stirring so the oatmeal doesn’t stick and burn, add the stock or water, bay leaf, thyme and salt and pepper.

Bring soup to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes making sure all the vegetables are cooked and soft.

Once all is cooked and soft, remove bay leaf and thyme. Liquidise the soup and if you desire a smooth soup, strain through a sieve.

Check for seasoning and add any if necessary.

The soup can be enriched with double cream before serving or garnished with Greek yoghurt or deep fried celeriac julienne.