This soup is healthy, tasty and ridiculously easy to prepare. All you need is a large yellow onion, a couple of stalks of celery, extra virgin olive oil (optional), water and seasoning. That’s it!
This is a family recipe and a favorite of mine. It’s perfect for detoxing, fighting colds and transitioning between seasons. During cold months, I like adding a small-size (peeled) potato to the soup ( boiling it together with the celery and onion before blending it). When I feel under the weather, I like adding a couple of garlic cloves to the mix. You can also use a handful of cashews to achieve a thicker consistency.
This recipe is very simple but versatile. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
- 4 stalks of celery, large dice
- 1 large onion, large dice
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups of water
- salt and pepper ( seasoning to taste)
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the celery and onion and sauté for 10 minutes, until the celery is bright green and the onions caramelized.
- Add 4 cups of water and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Transfer to a blender or use a hand-held immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve warm or chilled.
- You can omit the oil all together and sauté the onion and celery in a little bit of water.
Some interesting facts about celery:
Relax – In traditional Oriental medicine celery was used to treat hypertension. This is because phthalide compounds in celery can act as a sedative as well as lower blood pressure.
Sweet dreams – Celery is thought to promote a good night’s sleep because of the vitamins, mineral salts and nutrients it contains. It is also thought to have a calming effect on the central nervous system.
Food of love – Celery has a formidable reputation as an aphrodisiac, going back to Roman times (they dedicated the plant to Pluto, god of sex and hell!). While Madame de Pompadour, official chief mistress of French King Louis XV, swore by celery and truffle soup washed down with hot chocolate.
Hangover cure – Another use of celery by the Roman’s was to use it as an antidote against the intoxicating effects of wine and the ensuing headache by wearing wreaths of celery leaves.
Bottoms up! – The Bloody Mary cocktail was invented in the 1920’s at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. However it wasn’t until the 1960’s that celery was associated with the drink, when a guest at a Chicago hotel was given a Bloody Mary but nothing to stir it with. He improvised with a stick of celery from the buffet!
Greek’s Gold – Winners of athletic events in Ancient Greece were presented with bunches of celery, much as flowers are given today.
Food for thought – Celery was first used as a food in Italy during the 16th century, later spreading across Europe as a flavoring for soups, meats and stews.
Some interesting facts about onions:
– The country that eats the most onions per capita is Libya, where each person eats about 66.8 pounds of onion every year.
-According to Guinness Book of World Records, the largest onion ever grown, weighted 10 pounds 14 ounces.
-The official state vegetable of Georgia is the Vidalia onion.
-The official state vegetable of Texas is the Texas Sweet Onion.
For more fun facts, check out LOVE CELERY
