Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz (roughly 3) eating apples
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 onions
• chopped
• 1 celeriac (roughly 750g/1lb 10oz)
• cut into roughly 2cm/¾in chunks
• 1 large carrot (roughly 120g/4½oz)
• cut into roughly 1.5cm/½in slices
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 2 medium potatoes (roughly 250g/9oz)
• peeled and cut into roughly 2cm/¾in chunks
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme (3-4 sprigs)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.3 litres/2¼ pints vegetable or chicken stock
• made with 1 stock cube
• flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sunflower oil
• 4 rashers rindless smoked streaky bacon
• 4 tbsp crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp milk
• small handful flat leaf parsley
• leaves roughly torn

Directions

• Peel the apples
• cut them into quarters and remove the cores. Cut the apples into thick slices. Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large saucepan and fry the apple pieces over a medium heat for five minutes
• or until lightly browned
• turning regularly. Using a slotted spoon
• transfer the apple pieces to a plate and return the pan to the heat.
• Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan and as soon as the butter melts
• gently fry the onions
• celeriac and carrot for 15 minutes
• or until the onions are softened and very lightly browned
• stirring occasionally. Add the garlic
• apples
• potatoes
• thyme and bay leaf and cook for three minutes more
• stirring.
• Pour the stock into the pan
• season with black pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes
• or until the celeriac and carrots are very soft
• stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the thyme stalks and bay leaf and discard. Cool slightly and then blend the soup with a stick blender until very smooth. (For an even more velvety soup
• pass it through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.) Add a little extra water if necessary until the right consistency is reached. Alternatively
• allow the soup to cool for a while and then blend in a food processor until smooth and return to the pan.
• Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
• To make the garnish
• brush the oil over the inside of a small non-stick frying pan and fry the bacon for 2-3 minutes on each side over a medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
• Mix the crème fraîche with the milk in a small bowl until smooth.
• Reheat the soup gently just before serving
• stirring constantly. Ladle into warmed bowls.
• Drizzle the crème fraîche mixture into each bowl of soup. Carefully snip the crisp bacon into pieces with kitchen scissors and scatter on top. Sprinkle with the parsley
• season with a little freshly ground black pepper and serve.