Indonesian Peanut-Celery Soup
This recipe came about much like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercial—“You got chocolate on my peanut butter,” etc. One day a long time ago, I had some peanut sauce left over from making pork satés, and I was in the process of putting together a cream of celery soup. I started thinking about how people have been known to eat celery sticks with peanut butter, so I swirled the rich sauce into the delicate soup. With a little extra garlic, chile paste, and soy sauce, the result was pretty darn tasty—and I’ve been making it ever since.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Heat the oil in a 2-quart pot over medium heat and add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let them steam for about 10 minutes, stirring once. Add the Chicken Stock and whisk in the peanut butter, a little at a time. Bring to a boil, whisking, and add the ketjap manis and sambal oelek, and a little more stock or water if the soup is too thick. Simmer about 10 minutes, then let it cool. Working in batches if necessary, puree the soup in a blender and return it to the pot. Heat the soup to the desired temperature, adjusting the seasonings (add more chile paste, if desired) and consistency (add more stock or water, if needed). Garnish with roasted peanuts and serve.
