Celery Bisque With Stilton Toasts Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery and leeks. Sauté until celery is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and 4 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until all vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to same pot. Whisk in 1/3 cup crème fraîche and cayenne pepper. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before serving, adding more broth to thin if desired.).
• Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 to 2 teaspoons additional crème fraîche into each. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve with Stilton Toasts.
• To make toasts: Using back of fork, mash cheese and crème fraîche in small bowl to blend.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Arrange baguette slices on rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil. Bake until just crisp, turning once, about 10 minutes. Spread cheese mixture on toasts. Bake until cheese mixture melts, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle toasts with parsley.

Steps:

• Toast the bread to golden. Butter generously, "wall to wall." Lay cheese slices on top of buttered toast, neatly, evenly.
• In a small bowl, stir together the celery and the scallions. Microplane the garlic into the celery mixture.
• Dress with olive oil, lemon juice and salt, and stir very well, until completely dressed, almost wet with dressing.
• Mound the shaved celery salad evenly on top of the blue-cheese toasts, and grind black pepper over them very generously. Cut each in half or quarters.

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot over low heat, sauté the celery, shallots, and apples in oil and butter until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add the celery seed and apple brandy, deglazing the bottom of the pot with the liquid.
• Add the apple cider, potato, and vegetable stock and simmer until potato is cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• With a blender or food processor, puree the soup.
• Using a sieve, pressing through with a spatula if necessary, strain the soup to remove the solids; discard solids.
• Season soup to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish each serving with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream.

Steps:

• Using back of fork, mash cheese and crème fraîche in small bowl to blend.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange baguette slices on rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil. Bake until just crisp, turning once, about 10 minutes. Spread cheese mixture on toasts. Bake until cheese mixture melts, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle toasts with parsley.

Steps:

• Soup 1. Heat butter in large, deep-sided pot with lid over medium, high heat. When hot, add leeks and celery and sauté, stirring for 4 minutes. Add potatoes and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, at a simmer until all vegetables are tender (20-25 minutes). 2. Puree' the soup in batches and return to pot, or use immersion blender. Stire in 2/3 c. creme fraiche. Taste soup and season with 2 t. salt and the cayenne pepper. 3. To server, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parsley, a dollop of creme fraiche and stilton toast. Stilton Toasts 1. Arrange toasts on a cookie sheet and lightly coat both sides of sliced french bread with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees until just brown on each side. 2. Use fork to mix together the crumbled Stilton and creme fraiche. Top each toast with a little dollop of the mixture and spread. Put back in the oven for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley.

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a large dutch oven.
• Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Mix flour and half-and-half in small bowl.
• Add to potatoes, stirring well.
• Add shrimp.
• Add butter and celery salt.
• Cook on medium until thick and bubbly.
• Stir in sherry.

Steps:

• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; cook without browning, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or unitl vegetables are tender. Add thyme and rice; cook 1 minute more.
• Add broth to saucepan; reduce to medium. Cook 15 minutes or until rice is very tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Purée mixture in blender with cream; serve immediately.
• SERVING TIPS: Serve with a garnish of croutons, additional diced celery or a sprinkling of minced herbs. Makes an excellent accompaniment to any entrée featuring chicken breast.