BBC - Food - Recipes - Celeriac and roast hazelnut soup with soda bread focacciaBBC

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Celeriac and roast hazelnut soup with soda bread focaccia

by Rachel Allen
from Saturday Kitchen
Serves 4

Preparation time30 mins to 1 hour Email this recipe

Cooking time10 to 30 mins

Ingredients

For the hazelnuts

100g/3�oz fresh hazelnuts, shells removed
For the focaccia
olive oil
450g/1lb plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
400ml/14fl oz (approx) buttermilk
pinch Maldon sea salt
For the soup
30g/1oz butter
110g/4oz onions, finely chipped
140g/5oz potatoes, finely
salt and freshly ground black pepper
425g/15oz celeriac, finely diced
1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock (vegetarians may substitute with
vegetable stock or water)
170ml/6fl oz milk
60ml/2fl oz cream (optional)
2 tbsp hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped
fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped, to garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. To prepare the hazelnuts, place the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet and
place in the preheated oven for 6-10 minutes, or until the skins have
loosened. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove the
skins by rubbing the nuts in the corner of a tea-towel. If they are not
sufficiently toasted, return them to the oven until they become golden
brown.
3. Chop the hazelnuts and set aside for garnish.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 230C/450F/Gas 8 for the focaccia.
6. For the focaccia, brush a baking sheet generously with olive oil.
7. Sieve the plain flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a big bowl. Add
the salt, and mix with your hands. Make a well in the centre of the flour
mix, pour in most of the buttermilk, and with one hand stiff and your
fingers spread out like a claw, start mixing in a full circle once the
butter milk has gone in.
8. Keep mixing like this until you have a soft dough. Do not knead it but
work it very gently to bring it together.
9. Transfer to a floured surface, and roll it out to about 35x20cm/14x8in
and transfer it to the oiled tray.
10. Brush the top of the dough with some more oil and sprinkle with a
little sea salt. Transfer to the oven and cook for ten minutes. Then turn
the oven down to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and cook for a further 8-12 minutes until
cooked. When cooked, it should feel firm in the centre and be golden
brown.
11. Transfer the focaccia from the oven to a wire rack and cool for a
couple of minutes, then cut it into squares to serve.
12. Meanwhile for the soup, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a
medium heat. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them in
the butter until evenly coated. Season with salt and freshly ground
pepper.
13. Cover with a baking paper lid (to keep in the steam) and the saucepan
lid, and sweat over a gentle heat for about ten minutes, until the
vegetables are soft but not coloured.
14. Remove the paper lid. Add the celeriac and chicken stock, bring to the
boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the celeriac is
soft.
15. Liquidise the soup using a hand blender, adding a little more stock,
milk (or cream) to thin to the required consistency. Season to taste with
salt and freshly ground black pepper.
16. Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl with a scattering of chopped
hazelnuts, and a little chopped parsley to garnish, accompanied by slices
of focaccia.