Ingredients

• 45g/1¾oz butter
• softened
• plus extra for greasing and to serve
• 340g/12oz wholemeal flour
• 340g/12oz strong white bread flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 625ml/1 pint 1fl oz buttermilk
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 onion
• sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• grated
• 1 floury potato
• such as Maris Piper
• peeled and diced
• 1 litre/1¾ pints hot chicken stock
• 1kg/2lb 4oz celery
• stalks trimmed and finely sliced
• leaves reserved
• 1 bunch fresh flatleaf parsley
• leaves only
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• splash white wine vinegar
• 6 free-range eggs
• drizzle rapeseed oil
• celery salt
• to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
• For the soda bread
• grease a baking tray with a little butter.
• Place both of the flours
• the butter
• bicarbonate of soda
• salt and peppercorns into a large mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the buttermilk
• using your hands to bring the mixture together to form a soft dough.
• Shape the dough into a rough loaf and transfer to the prepared baking tray. Dust the top with strong white bread flour. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes
• or until golden-brown all over and cooked through. (The soda bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when tapped firmly on the base.) Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
• Meanwhile
• for the celery soup
• heat the rapeseed oil in a large
• heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry gently for 4-5 minutes
• or until softened.
• Add the potato and fry for a further 5-6 minutes
• stirring regularly.
• Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 4-5 minutes
• or until the potatoes are beginning to soften.
• Add the sliced celery to the pan and return the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for a further 5-8 minutes
• or until the celery is just tender.
• Stir in the parsley leaves and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the double cream and heat through. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• When the soup has cooled slightly
• blend it in a food processor until smooth
• then strain through a fine sieve and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the poached eggs
• bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the large splash of white wine vinegar. Reduce the heat until the water is just simmering.
• Stir the water to create a vortex
• then crack the eggs into the centre of the vortex one by one (or one at a time if you prefer). Poach the eggs for 3-5 minutes
• or until the whites have just set. Carefully remove from the water using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
• Just before serving
• finely chop the reserved celery leaves. Drizzle the eggs with a little rapeseed oil
• sprinkle over the celery salt
• then garnish with the chopped celery leaves.
• To serve
• divide the celery soup among four serving bowls and float one poached egg on top of each portion. Serve with slices of buttered soda bread.