Celery and apple soup

Hotpan: Serves 4 as a starter

• 1 celery, approx 300g - washed and cut into small pieces
• 1 cooking apple - peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
• 40g butter
• 1 onion - peeled and cut into fine strips
• 40g leek - washed and cut into small pieces
• 9cm stick of cinnamon
• 800ml vegetable broth
• 200ml cream
• freshly ground salt and pepper
• ground cinnamon

METHOD

• Melt the butter in the HOTPAN casserole, add the onion and leek and cook on a low heat. 
• Add the celery, apple and cinnamon stick and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
• Add the vegetable broth, bring to the boil and allow to simmer lightly on a medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Now cover the casserole and wait for steam to appear from around the rim. 
• Remove from the heat and place the HOTPAN in the insulating bowl for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cinnamon, add the cream, bring to the boil and stir. 
• Blend with a handheld mixer and serve with a dust of cinnamon powder.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

By Ruedi Lehmann