2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head celery, cut into 1-inch pieces, leafy tops chopped and reserved
1 small onion, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 cup roughly chopped lightly toasted walnuts
1/2 cups raisins, plumped in warm water for 15 minutes, drained
1 teaspoon celery seed
EVO
1 cup heavy cream
Put the butter, celery, and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook the vegetables slowly until they have begun to soften and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Don't let vegetables brown at all.
Add the stock, adjust the heat to a simmer, and cook until the celery and onion are completely tender, about 30 minutes. Let the soup cool a bit, then process in a blender to make a smooth puree. You may need to do this in batches.
Meanwhile, toss together the reserved chopped celery leaves, walnuts, raisins, and celery seed in a bowl and moisten with a few drops of EVO.
Return the puree to the pot, add the cream, and bring everything to a low simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften the raw cream flavor. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Divide into serving bowls and top with raisin mixture.
Works well with poached shrimp, scallops, chunks of halibut or cod if you want to add protein.
Can add texture by folding in diced raw celery and/or croutons.
