Celeriac and chestnut soup with turkey croque monsieur
Author: Danny Parker
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- For the soup:
- 100g unsalted butter
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 1.4kg celeriac, peeled, diced (1cm)
- 400g cooked vacuum-packed chestnuts
- 4 litres vegetable stock (extra may be needed while cooking)
- 550g whipping cream
- salt + fresh ground black pepper
- For the croque monsieur:
- 400g whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- 40g unsalted butter
- 40g plain flour
- 100g Colsten Basset stilton
- 2tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1tsp wholegrain mustard
- salt + fresh ground black pepper
- 4 slices sliced brioche
- 2tsp cranberry sauce
- 4 slices cooked turkey
- 50g Gruyère cheese, grated
- To serve:
- fresh nutmeg
Method
- For the soup: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Once melted, add the sliced onions and sweat until soft but not coloured. Add the celeriac and the chestnuts to the pan, season well and pour over the stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25-30 mins until celeriac is soft, topping up with more stock if necessary. Add the cream and bring the pan back to a boil. Remove from the heat and liquidise in batches until smooth. Pass the soup through a chinois. Check the seasoning and adjust as needed.
- For the croque monsieur: First, to make the stilton béchamel sauce, add the milk, bay and thyme to a saucepan and warm over a medium heat to infuse. In a separate pan over a low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and cook for 2-3 mins. Using a ladle and a spatula, add the infused milk to the butter and flour mixture (roux) one ladle at a time, ensuring the liquid is incorporated before adding the next ladleful to ensure the sauce has no lumps. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and mustards. Check the seasoning and adjust as required. Leave to cool to room temperature.
- Place four slices of brioche on a work surface and spread with the stilton béchamel sauce. Add dollops of cranberry sauce to two slices. Top these two with sliced turkey and sandwich with the other two slices of brioche. Press lightly and grate Gruyère over the top of each sandwich. Bake at 200C/Gas 6 until the cheese melts and the sandwiches turn golden brown.
- To serve: Warm the soup and whiz with a hand blender to add some air. Pour into bowls and finish with freshly grated nutmeg over the top. Cut the croque monsieur into halves and serve on the side.
