Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 475g/1lb 1oz celeriac
• peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 shallots
• sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• chopped
• 50ml/2fl oz dry white wine
• 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock
• 75ml/2½fl oz double cream
• vegetable oil
• for frying
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• diced
• 75g/2½oz plain flour
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 free-range eggs
• 55g/2oz white crabmeat
• 25g/1oz brown crabmeat
• 25g/1oz tinned sweetcorn
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 2 tsp baby watercress
• 1 eating apple
• cut into thin strips

Directions

• For the celeriac soup
• heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the celeriac
• shallots and garlic and gently fry for a few minutes
• to soften without browning.
• Add the white wine
• bring to the boil and cook to reduce the volume of liquid by half.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes
• until the celeriac is tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for five minutes.
• Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
• Return the soup to the saucepan
• add the cream and heat through. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the crab and sweetcorn beignets
• heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180C/350F. Alternatively
• heat the oil in a deep
• heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (Caution: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Melt the butter and 125ml/4fl oz water in a saucepan until the mixture boils
• then boil for another minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the flour and cayenne pepper with a wooden spoon until smooth
• or until the mixture comes away from the side of the pan. Return the pan to the heat and cook for 1-2 minutes
• stirring continuously.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the eggs
• one at a time
• beating well before adding the other egg.
• Stir in the white and brown crabmeat and sweetcorn until well combined
• then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle. Carefully pipe 1.5cm/½in long sections into the oil and fry for 1-2 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove the beignets from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
• To serve
• ladle the soup into bowls
• scatter over some crab and sweetcorn beignets. Drizzle the soup with olive oil and garnish with the baby watercress and apple.