Cream of Celeriac Soup with pan fried curried scallops

soup - celeriac with curried scallops

Ingredients

For the soup

  • 1tbsp olive oil

  • 475g celeriac, peeled and cut into cubes

  • 2 shallots, sliced

  • 1 garlic clove, chopped

  • 50ml white wine

  • 1litre chicken stock

  • 75ml double cream

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the scallops

  • 12 scallops, coral removed

  • 1 tsp curry powder

  • 25g butter

  • 60g crème fraîche

  • fresh chervil, to garnish

Method

  1. For the soup, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the celeriac, shallots and garlic and gently fry for a few minutes, to soften without browning.

  2. Add the white wine, bring to the boil and reduce the liquid by half.

  3. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the celeriac is tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for five minutes.

  4. Transfer the soup to a food processor and blend until smooth.

  5. Return the soup to the saucepan, add the cream and heat through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  6. For the scallops, dust the scallops with the curry powder.

  7. Heat a frying pan until hot, then add the butter. When the butter is foaming add the scallops. Sear the scallops for one minute on each side, or until just cooked through, then remove from the pan.

  8. To serve, place three scallops in each of four wide, shallow soup bowls and spoon the soup around the scallops. Do not cover the scallops. Top the scallops with a dollop of crème fraîche and garnish with a sprig of chervil.