Cream of celery soup with creamy hazelnuts? Yup, that’s what makes this soup so yummy and unique. I had this delicious celery soup at my friend Shalini’s home when we met for lunch one afternoon. Creamy celery soup accompanied with a faro salad,  roasted Brussels sprouts on pita bread with mint chutney, along with fresh fruit and a cheese board – this lunch was wholesome, nutritious, and packed with flavor.

Light Lunch with Two Friends Menu

Cheese Board with Assorted Cheeses and Dried Fruits
Roasted Brussels sprouts on pita bread with mint chutney
Cream of Celery Soup with Roasted Hazelnuts
Faro Salad
Fresh Fruit
Chai

I’m not a big fan of celery (don’t know why really), and yet I loved this celery soup.  It was delicious and not overly celeryish, so I asked Shalini for her recipe which she graciously shared.

Cream of Celery Soup
recipe courtesy of Shalini

Ingredients:

• 1 white onion chopped
• 6-8 ribs of celery chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped
• 2 table spoons of roasted hazelnuts finely ground
• 1 Bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 300mls semi skimmed milk – I used regular milk – about 1 cup
• 450mls vegetable stock or 2-3 cups vegetable broth
• Oil

Directions:

• In some oil sauté onion and bay leaf until onions are translucent. Add chopped celery and garlic, salt and pepper to your taste. Cook for a few minutes until celery is softened, add some broth if needed to cook the celery. After a few minutes add all the vegetable stock, milk and ground hazelnuts. Simmer to a boil.
• Take out the bay leaf and then blend the soup.
• Reheat as needed and serve with a garnish of chopped hazelnuts, oregano and chili flakes.