Celeriac and Stilton Soup

This soup could not be more simple...or delicious. It takes just 25 minutes to make, but tastes as if you slaved over it! Great for parties or just cuddled up at home on a cold winter night.

2 and ½ pounds celeriac (celery root), trimmed of tough outer bit and cut into large chunks
2 leeks, white and light green part only, trimmed, washed of grit, cut into chunks
8 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
½ teaspoon celery seed (if you don’t have this—no worries)
6 to 10 ounces single cream (depending on how luxurious you want to be)
6 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (or any good quality blue cheese)
Sea salt to taste

1) Place the celeriac, leeks, celery seed and chicken stock into a large soup pot, cover and bring to a strong simmer. Once it is simmering start timing and cook for about 20 minutes, until the celeriac chunks are tender.

2) Use an immersion blender and puree the soup until smooth. Pour in the cream, stir. Remove the soup pot from the heat. Crumble in the cheese; stir until it melts then season with salt. Taste and serve.

Can be made the day before and gently reheated on the stove. Makes 6-8 servings.

Wild Mushroom Soup

This is a basic mushroom soup that uses the addition of dried porcini mushrooms to impart a more robust flavor. It is delicious and easy-- great served with a thick piece of toasted country bread with melted Stilton or any other blue cheese.

30 grams dried porcini mushrooms

1-2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellew onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup peeled and roughly chopped celeriac (celery root)-- if this is not available use 1/2 cup chopped celery
750 grams (about a pound and a half) fresh button mushrooms (brown or white), stems removed, cleaned and roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup heavy cream, half and half or whole milk
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1) Put the dried porcini mushrooms into a bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them. Make sure that all of the porcinis are submerged. Allow to rehydrate while you are sauteing the fresh mushrooms.

2) Set a large pot over medium heat and put the butter in. Allow it to become frothy then add in the onion, garlic and celeriac or celery. Saute until just soft, then add in the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes then add in the mushrooms. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the mushrooms slowly, allowing them to release their liquid.

3) 20 minutes after you began rehydrating the porcinis, they will be ready. Pull them out of the water and set aside. Place a paper towel over a large-ish bowl and carefully but quickly pour the porcini liquid into the paper towel-lined bowl (do this over the sink). The paper towel will strain the grit from the soaking liquid (throw it away). Now, roughly chop the porcinis and add them along with the soaking liquid to the cooking mushrooms. Pour in the stock and stir in the thyme. Cook at just barely a simmer, covered by cracked, for 20-30 minutes.

4) Using an immersion blender, blitz the soup until it is relatively smooth. Add in the cream or milk and taste-- add in sea salt and black pepper to taste. If you like, add a splash or dry sherry.

Makes about 10 cups.

Irish Beef Stew

This is a great dish to make on a chilly day. Assembling the stew is quick enough, but it does need to simmer most of the day to reach perfection. Serve with Colcannon or simply mashed potatoes.


750 grams (1 and 1/2 pounds) chunks stew beef
4 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter
1 leek, tender light green and white part only, washed, trimmed and chopped
1 44cl can Guinness beer
1 cup full-bodied red wine
3 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 soup bone (if the butcher's got one)
3/4 cup shredded celeriac (peeled) or finely chopped celery (optional)
125 grams (4 oz) mushrooms, washed and chopped (also optional)
1/4 teaspoon dry thyme (powdered is best)

1) Place beef in a large mixing bowl and toss with half of the flour, coating each piece.

2) Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot set over medium heat. When the butter is frothy, add in the flour-coated beef and brown all sides.

3) Remove the beef from the pot and add in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Allow to melt then add in the chopped leeks, stir and cook until they are just soft (if the bottom of the pan is too brown, add a scant 1/4 cup hot water to the pot).

4) Pour in the Guinness, wine, stock and tomato paste and stir up the 'fond', brown bits on the bottom of the pot, to incorporate into the stew. Add the beef back in, as well as the soup bone, shredded celeriac and mushrooms.

5) Cover and turn up the heat. Once the stew comes to a strong simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, keep covered and allow to cook ever so slowly for 2 to 3 and 1/2 hours. The stew should just barely spit, not simmer, but does need to move a bit. Every once in a while, scoop off the 'scum' that forms on the top and discard then give the stew a stir.

6) 30 minutes before serving,remove the soup bone. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour with 1/2 cup cold water and add it to the stew. Turn the heat up and bring the stew to a full simmer, stirring as it thickens. Add in the thyme. The beef should be fork tender. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serves 4. You will have extra gravy left over-- have some good bread on hand.