Cut the bread into 15mm squares and place them in a bowl click to enlargeAlthough we are fans of Crouton Soldiers, ‘normal’ croutons can be used to great effect to bring ‘le crunch’ to any liquid dish.
For the Croutons
1 slice of bread/person
Light olive oil
You’ll need
Kitchen paper
Teflon non-stick cooking mat
Baking tray
Making the Croutons
Carefully cut the sliced bread into 1.5cm squares. Tip: Leave the bread on a plate overnight to dry out and start to go stale. Makes it easier to work with.Drizzle some light olive oil on them and mix with your hand click to enlargePut the squares in a bowl and gently sprinkle some light olive oil on them. With your hand, mix it all about without damaging the bread. Add another sprinkling until all of them have absorbed some oil and are lightly basted.
Remove the squares from the bowl and place them on a Teflon non-stick cooking mat on a baking tray and add one last sprinkling of oil. Make sure none of the squares are touching one another.
Place the tray in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees for 10 minutes or so, removing them when they are golden brown. Tip: be careful with the timing – they can quickly over cook.
When they’re done, lift them out and pour them on some kitchen paper to absorb any surplus oil before placing them on a separate dish.
They should be crunchy and gorgeous and not taste of olive oil (that’s why you use a light olive oil).
Use them as soon as poss. They tend to pick up the dampness in the air and go soggy.
Piers and Lin
From the Galley of Play d’eau
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.
Place them on a baking sheet making sure they don’t touch click to enlarge
When golden brown remove them from the oven click to enlarge
What a delicious soup this is. Whether you love or dislike celeriac or even know what it is (!) you will like this soup. Celaric – not the prettiest veg on the market stall click to enlarge
Again, the recipe for our celeriac soup has been developed over the last few years, ensuring it’s kept simple whilst maximising on flavour.
50gm Salted butter
100ml Double cream
Crème Fraiche
Finely chopped Chives Crouton Soldiers
Truffle oil After liquidising, the celariac soup should be beautifully smooth click to enlarge
You will need
Saucepan
Hand-held or small stand-alone liquidiser
Bowl
Making the Celeriac soup
Trim the celeriac and remove the outer layer of skin. You only want the white flesh. Take care, since this veg is a tough old thing and needs a sharp knife to cut it. Take care of your fingers.
Slice the celeriac into 2cm cubes. Hint: If there’s likely to be a delay between cubing the celeriac and starting to cook it, cover the cubes in a bowl of water with some lemon juice to stop the celeriac turning brown.
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the celeriac and stir with a wooden spoon to ensure everything is covered with butter.
Cover the pan and cook gently over a low to medium heat (don’t burn the butter) for 10 minutes, stirring every two minutes to keep everything covered in butter.
After these ten minutes are up, add enough stock to cover the celeriac and cook over a medium heat until the celeriac is just soft.The Celaraic soup before the ‘dollop’ of crème fraiche is added click to enlargeRemove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool a bit before liquidising really well. If it’s too thick for the liquidiser, add more stock or fresh milk.
Provided you’ve liquidised it well there’s no need to sieve this soup.
Return it to the heat and add salt as required. You may be surprised how much is needed but you’ll know when it’s just right – it’s obvious.
Don’t add pepper. The black specs will spoil the look.
Serving the Celeriac soup
Pour the soup into a clean pan and reheat – do not boil – and add the double cream. Stir well and check if it needs any more salt.
Finally, check the consistency is right. Add more stock or milk to thin, or keep on the heat to thicken.
Pour into warm bowls and add a sprinkling of chopped chives and a drizzle of truffle oil on top. Chives, truffle oil and the ‘dollop’ of crème fraiche just make this soup click to enlarge
Finally, place a small dollop (a Play d’eau technical term) of crème fraiche on the top of each serving.
Each person should have six Soldier Croutons.
Additional touches
As with most soups, leaving them in the fridge to ‘mature’ brings a greater depth of flavour. Keeps well in the freezer.
This soup is also great as an Amuse Bouche, served either hot or cold without the croutons.
Coming soon…
Poached eggs that look so good
Vinaigrette dressing using a raspberry vinegar
Piers and Lin
from the Galley of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.
Squash and Ginger soup ready to be devoured click to enlarge
The clue to this beautiful soup lies in its simplicity and flavour maximising. Although the amount of ginger may sound excessive, I assure you it isn’t. It’s just gorgeous.
Squash, Ginger, and vegetable stock click to enlarge
You will need
Saucepan
Hand-held or small stand-alone liquidiser
Cheese grater or a coarse Microplane
Bowl
Making the Squash and Ginger soup
Slice the squash into 2cm ‘wheels’. Cut the skin off, and, using a teaspoon, remove all traces of seeds and membrane.
Using the same teaspoon, use the edge to scrape the skin off the ginger.
Cut the squash wheels into 2cm x 1cm pieces.
The squash cut into 2cm wheels click to enlarge
Slice the ginger thinly, or grate it if you’ve kept it in the freezer. (Note: keeping peeled ginger in the freezer is a really good idea. It keeps for ages and can be grated easily whilst frozen)
Melt 150gm of butter in a large pan, add the squash and ginger and stir with a wooden spoon to ensure everything is covered with butter.
Cover the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring every two minutes to keep everything covered in butter.
After these ten minutes are up, add just enough stock to cover the squash and cook until the squash is just soft.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool down a bit before liquidising really well. If it’s too thick, add some more stock or fresh milk. Provided you’ve liquidised it well there’s no need to sieve this soup.
Serving the Squash and Ginger soup
The Squash and Ginger, basted with butter, before the stock is added click to enlarge
Pour the soup into a clean pan and reheat – do not boil – and add the rest of the butter. Stir well, adding salt to taste. (Note: don’t add pepper since it’s black specs will detract from the look of the soup)
Pour into warm bowls.
Place a small dollop (a Play d’eau technical term) of crème fraiche on the top of each serving and a small sprinkling of finely chopped coriander.
Each person should have six Soldier Croutons.
Additional touches
Once liquidised, allow the soup to develop its flavour in the fridge for 24hrs – if you can wait that long!
Drizzle some Truffle Oil on each serving before adding the coriander. Brings a earthy depth
This soup is also great as an Amuse Bouche, served either hot or cold without the croutons. Keeps well in the freezer.
So, so simple, yet so, so beautiful.
Piers and Lin
from the Galley of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.
These are so much more fun than the usual square croutons, and so simple to make. Crouton soldiers, golden brown click to enlarge
For the Crouton Soldiers
1 slice of bread/person
1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp sesame oil (enough for 18 crouton soldiers)
Kitchen paper
Making the Crouton Soldiers
Carefully cut the sliced bread into 8cm x 2cm strips.
Mix the oils, and sprinkle onto both sides of the crouton soldiers.
Tip – we mix the oils since sesame oil on its own can easily burn at a low temperature.
Warm a frying pan over a medium heat and add the crouton soldiers. After a minute, turn them over. You are looking for a lovely golden brown on both sides.
When they’re done, lift them out and place them on kitchen paper to absorb any surplus oil.
Crunchy and gorgeous.
Ensure no one is about when you make them – they’ll disappear without trace if you aren’t watching like a hawk!
Piers and Lin
From the Galley of Play d’eau
Fleming 55
You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.
These were the voyages of Piers and Lin du Pré aboard their Fleming 55
