Ingredients

• olive oil
• 450g/1lb plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 400ml/14fl oz (approx) buttermilk
• pinch Maldon sea salt
• 30g/1oz butter
• 110g/4oz onions
• finely chipped
• 140g/5oz potatoes
• finely
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 425g/15oz celeriac
• finely diced
• 1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock (vegetarians may substitute with vegetable stock or water)
• 170ml/6fl oz milk
• 60ml/2fl oz cream (optional)
• fresh flatleaf parsley
• chopped
• to garnish
• 25g/1oz toasted hazelnuts
• chopped for garnish

Directions

• Preheat the oven 230C/450F/Gas 8. Brush a baking sheet generously with olive oil.
• For the soda bread
• sift the plain flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a big bowl. Add the salt
• and mix with your hands. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix
• pour in most of the buttermilk
• and with one hand stiff and your fingers spread out like a claw
• start mixing in a full circle once the butter milk has gone in.
• Keep mixing like this until you have a soft dough. Do not knead it but work it very gently to bring it together.
• Transfer to a floured surface
• and roll it out to about 35x20cm/14x8in and transfer it to the oiled tray.
• Brush the top of the dough with some more oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Transfer to the oven and cook for ten minutes. Then turn the oven down to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and cook for a further 8-12 minutes until cooked. When cooked
• it should feel firm in the centre and be golden brown.
• Transfer the soda bread from the oven to a wire rack and cool for a couple of minutes
• then cut it into squares to serve.
• Meanwhile for the soup
• melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat. When it foams
• add the potatoes and onions and toss them in the butter until evenly coated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Cover with a circle of baking paper (to keep in the steam) and the saucepan lid
• and sweat over a gentle heat for about ten minutes
• until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
• Remove the paper lid. Add the celeriac and chicken stock
• bring to the boil
• reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes
• until the celeriac is soft.
• Liquidise the soup using a hand blender
• adding a little more stock
• milk (or cream) to thin to the required consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl with a scattering of chopped hazelnuts
• and a little chopped parsley to garnish
• accompanied by slices of soda bread.