- 45g/1¾oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing and to serve
- 340g/12oz wholemeal flour
- 340g/12oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- 625ml/1 pint 1fl oz buttermilk
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 floury potato, such as Maris Piper, peeled and diced
- 1 litre/1¾ pints hot chicken stock
- 1kg/2lb 4oz celery, stalks trimmed and finely sliced, leaves reserved
- 1 bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves only
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- splash white wine vinegar
- 6 free-range eggs
- drizzle rapeseed oil
- celery salt, to taste
- Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
- For the soda bread, grease a baking tray with a little butter.
- Place both of the flours, the butter, bicarbonate of soda, salt and peppercorns into a large mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the buttermilk, using your hands to bring the mixture together to form a soft dough.
- Shape the dough into a rough loaf and transfer to the prepared baking tray. Dust the top with strong white bread flour. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden-brown all over and cooked through. (The soda bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when tapped firmly on the base.) Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, for the celery soup, heat the rapeseed oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry gently for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the potato and fry for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the potatoes are beginning to soften.
- Add the sliced celery to the pan and return the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for a further 5-8 minutes, or until the celery is just tender.
- Stir in the parsley leaves and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the double cream and heat through. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- When the soup has cooled slightly, blend it in a food processor until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- For the poached eggs, bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the large splash of white wine vinegar. Reduce the heat until the water is just simmering.
- Stir the water to create a vortex, then crack the eggs into the centre of the vortex one by one (or one at a time if you prefer). Poach the eggs for 3-5 minutes, or until the whites have just set. Carefully remove from the water using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
- Just before serving, finely chop the reserved celery leaves. Drizzle the eggs with a little rapeseed oil, sprinkle over the celery salt, then garnish with the chopped celery leaves.
- To serve, divide the celery soup among four serving bowls and float one poached egg on top of each portion. Serve with slices of buttered soda bread.