Cream of Celery Soup

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a big 4-5 qt pot. Add the onions, leeks, and about 5 cups celery. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes to soften.

Add garlic and cook about another minute

Add the stock, pepper, bay leaves and simmer. Taste for salt. If your butter is salted as well as your stock, maybe not so much salt will be needed. If unsalted maybe a little more.

Bring to a boil and then turn down to low to simmer for about 15 minutes

Braise the remaining celery to soften. While the soup is simmering. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a saute pan. Melt butter on medium heat and add the rest of the celery, about 1 1/2 cups, to the butter. Ladle about 1/2 cup of soup into the saute pan an simmer on low 5 minutes or so.

Remove bay leaves. Puree the soup using a hand blender. Or use a stand blender and do it in batches.

Stir in the cream and the braised diced celery. Taste for salt and add if necessary.

Serve hot, garnished with black pepper and chopped chives or parsley.