Ingredients
- 300g salt cod
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 dried red chilli
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sticks celery, cut into 1cm dice
- 1 leek, white part only, cut into 1cm dice
- 1 brown onion, cut into 1cm dice
- ¼ fennel bulb, cut into 1cm dice
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 400g desiree potatoes, cut into 1cm dice
- 1.2 litres chicken stock
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 250ml pouring cream
- salt and freshly ground white pepper
- parsley air
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
- 1 gold-strength gelatine leaf, soaked in cold water to soften, then squeezed out
Method
Soak salt cod for 24 hours in a generous bucket of water, changing water at least twice. The next day, rinse cod and pat dry with paper towel. Make a spice bag by placing fennel seeds, dried chilli and coriander seeds in a small piece of muslin and tying with a piece of string to secure.
Pour olive oil into a heavy-based saucepan, add celery, leek, onion, fennel and garlic, and gently cook until all vegetables are soft and paste-like, which should take about 20 minutes. It is important not to let vegetables brown, as this will not only turn the soup an unattractive muddy colour but will also alter the taste. Add potatoes to pan, along with stock, salt cod, spice bag and thyme.
Bring soup to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Fish out and discard spice bag. Using a slotted spoon, remove cod from pan, discarding any bones and skin, then return fish to soup. Purée soup in a blender, then strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. For parsley air, blanch parsley leaves in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then refresh in a bowl of iced water. Strain parsley, then roughly chop before puréeing in a blender with 250ml cold water. Strain puréed parsley through a fine sieve lined with muslin - you will need 200ml parsley juice. Pour 50ml parsley juice into a small saucepan and warm gently, then add gelatine, whisking well. When gelatine has completely dissolved, remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining 150ml parsley juice, then strain and set aside to cool. Pour cooled parsley juice into a cream gun and charge with 2 gas bulbs. Shake well and leave in fridge until ready to use.
To serve, return soup to stovetop and bring to a simmer, then add cream. Taste soup and, if necessary, add a little salt and pepper. Pour hot soup into warm heavy-based glass tumblers, only half-filling them, and top with a shot of parsley air. The parsley air adds a lightness and textural difference not usually found in puréed soups. If parsley air is not for you, the soup is equally delicious served in a bowl with chopped parsley and toasted croutons made from day-old bread.
