A great cold dish for the start of warm times.

Ingredients

• approx. 100 g leeks (white part)
• 1 celeriac of about 700 g
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 80 ml Noilly Prat
• 80 ml dry white wine
• 1.5 l vegetable stock
• Juice of about ½ a lemon
• 1 tbsp crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp cream
• Pepper
• Nutmeg
• 1-2 tins of Nuri sardines in olive oil
• Finely chopped celery
• To garnish
• Roasted pine nuts

Preparation

1. Finely chop the leeks, peel and dice the celery.
2. Melt the butter in a pot over a medium heat, add a little salt.
3. Sauté the finely chopped leeks with the bay leaf in the butter until translucent, add the diced celery and continue to cook for a few minutes without roasting.
4. Deglaze with Noilly Prat and white wine, pour in the vegetable stock and add the lemon juice.
5. Carefully simmer without a lid until the celery is soft.
6. Add the crème fraîche and cream and use a hand blender to create a fine purée.
7. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
8. Allow the soup to stand in the fridge for a few hours, season again once cold.
9. Serve with Nuri sardines, a few drops of the oil from the tin, celery and roasted pine nuts.
10. TIP: If you do not have any vegetable stock to hand, it can be prepared using the green parts of the leeks, the celery peelings, 1 peeled onion, 3 cloves, a little salt, 1 sprig of thyme and 1 crushed pimento seed. Add the above to 1.5 l water and simmer until ready for use.