Virginia Peanut Soup

Categories: soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, plus more to taste
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Garnishes:
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts
• 1/2 cup diced apple
• 1/4 cup celery leaves
• Roasted peanut or sesame oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the nuts with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Soak at room temperature for at least 4 hour, and up to overnight. Drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until they are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Add the drained peanuts, celery seed and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until peanuts are heated through, 2 minutes.
4. Add vegetable broth; increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the mixture is just bubbling around the edges.
5. Cook until the peanuts are soft, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
6. Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a blender (remove the center knob from the lid to allow steam to escape and cover the opening with a towel to contain splash-ups.). Puree until smooth.
7. Pour the soup back into the pot over medium heat; for a very smooth texture, push the soup through a fine mesh strainer as you work.
8. Add the lemon juice, and season with 1/2 tsp. each fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add lemon juice, salt and/or pepper as needed. Remove from the heat.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with desired garnishes. Drizzle a little roasted peanut or toasted sesame oil over each portion. Serve hot.

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