Spring Onion and Celery Soup with Crispy Onions

Announcing the Onion and Celery Soup Diet!! Just kidding - but this kind of sounds like one of those soups that you eat twice a day for 2 weeks and lose 5 pounds. This would probably get you there but, gross. Not that this soup is gross....but anything would be if you had to eat it exclusively. Not really selling this, am I?

What this is, is a fresh-tasting, oniony, creamy soup that warms me up and gives me an excuse to tear into a superb baguette I picked up at our local and wonderful Turtle Bread. Just for fun, I fried up tiny slices of spring onions and put those on top - adds a nice little crunch. 

Spring Onion and Celery Soup with Crispy Onions

Serves 4

2 cup spring onions (or other mild variety)

1 cup celery (2 stalks)

1 russet potato

1 tablespoon butter (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 cups chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium)

3 tablespoons cream

Slice onions and celery thinly. Peel potato and cut into small (½ inch cubes) . Heat butter and olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and celery and saute until soft (about 15 minutes, reduce heat if they start to brown). Add potatoes, saute for another few minutes then add chicken stock and let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Puree in blender adding as little, or as much, cream as you like. Salt to taste. 

Crispy Onions

Thinly slice some spring onions or scallions. Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in your smallest pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion slices and cook until deep brown (less than a minute). Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Use oil in pan to drizzle on top of soup (or on your baguette). 

There's a little lemon rind floating in there too...an unsuccessful experiment
(but the onions are tasty)