celeriac and leek soup

Serves 6-8
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 40 mins

25g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large leeks, sliced into rounds
1 large celeraic, peeled and chopped
2 medium pototoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 fat clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs to garnish
1 litre vegetable stock
100ml double cream
salt and pepper

For the parsnip crisps:
1 medium parsnip
2 tbsp olive oil
Flaked sea salt

In a large pan, melt the butter along with the oil on the Simmering Plate. Add the leeks and fry for 5 minutes or until tender and turning golden. Add the cerleriac and potato and continue to fry, stirring regularly for a further 5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and stir, then add the thyme and stock. Bring to the boil on the Boiling Plate, remove and cover.

2, 3 and 4 oven AGA: Place in the Simmering Oven for a further 20-25 minutes or until the celeriac and pototoes are very soft.
Conventional cooker: Continue cooking the soup on the hob. Once you have brought it to the boil, reduce the temperature to a simmer and continue to simmer for a further 20 minutes, until the celeriac and pototoes are very soft.

Meanwhile, peel the parsnip for the crisps. Discard the skin, then keep peeling into ribbons from top to bottom until you cannot peel any more. Drizzle a full-sized AGA baking tray lined with Bake-O-Glide with 1 tbsp of oil, sprinkle with the salt, place on the top set of runners of the Roasting Oven and roast for 6-7 minutes or until evenly golden and crisp. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Remove the soup from the Simmering Oven, pour in the cream and blend using a hand blender until smooth and creamy. Season to taste and serve garnished with the parsnip crisps and fresh thyme sprigs.