Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [9]
3. Meanwhile, grind all but 2 tablespoons of the toasted almonds until powdery in a large spice grinder or a mini food processor. Set the sliced almonds and the almond powder aside separately.
4. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat. Sprinkle the onion into the butter, stir to coat, and then cook for 3 minutes, or until pale and translucent, stirring frequently. Do not brown the onion pieces, to ensure that the final soup will remain creamy white. If the onion does begin to brown, reduce the heat even further, or remove the pan from the heat for a minute or so to cool it down. (If the onion browns, the final taste will not be affected—just the appearance.)
5. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onion, then whisk to combine. Continue cooking and whisking for 20 seconds so that the flour loses its raw taste, but do not brown the flour. Whisk in the stock and wine, raise the heat to medium-high, bring the mixture to a simmer, and continue whisking over the heat for about 30 seconds, or until thickened. Slip the celery root into the soup, stir well, and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the celery root is tender when pierced with a fork, stirring occasionally.
6. Pour the thick, aromatic soup into a large blender or a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. If using a mini food processor, you will need to work in batches. Pulse 8 or 9 times, until puréed, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Return the puréed soup to the saucepan set over low heat; whisk in the ground almonds, cream, salt, white pepper (if using), and the nutmeg. Cook and whisk for about 1 minute, just until heated through. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes to infuse the taste of the almonds into the soup. Meanwhile, roughly chop the shallots for a garnish.
7. Divide the soup between two bowls. Top each with half the chopped shallots and half the toasted almonds. Serve immediately.
FRESH PEA SOUP makes 2 light servings
Because they show up in many markets in mid-May, or even earlier in parts of the South and West, fresh peas signal late spring. Or they’re a harbinger of summer, ready and full just before the first heat wave, a blow that strikes them bland and shriveled. Here’s an easy way to turn them into a light, tasty soup at their peak. Nonfat milk actually works best because the delicate taste of the peas is not overwhelmed by too much creaminess. Serve this soup warm or cold, depending on whether you’ve made it ahead—and the day’s weather!
1 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or nonfat; see headnote)
2 pounds peas in their pods, shelled, pods washed and reserved (see Note)
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, quartered
3 cups water
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring the milk to a light boil in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 4 minutes, or until reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Cover the pan and set aside off the heat.
2. Bring the pea pods (not the shelled peas), carrot, onion, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
3. Strain the vegetables and their light broth through a fine-mesh sieve, a chinoise, or a colander lined with cheesecloth, sit over a bowl. Discard the vegetable solids, return the broth to the saucepan, and set over medium-high heat. Bring the broth back to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until reduced to 1 cup. Add the shelled peas and cook for only 30 seconds, just until their color turns a shockingly bright green.
4. Pour the peas and the broth into a large blender or into a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Purée in pulses until thick, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. Now pour