Serves 4

25 g (1 oz) English butter

1 head of celery, cleaned and finely chopped

2 onions, skinned and chopped

1 rasher of bacon, chopped

100 g (4 oz) cottage cheese, sieved

300 ml (1/2 pint) chicken stock

300 ml (1/2 pint) milk

salt and freshly ground pepper

75 ml (3 fl oz) fresh single cream

celery leaves to garnish

1.  Melt the butter in a saucepan and soften the celery, onion and bacon gently for 5 minutes.

2.  Stir in the cottage cheese, stock, milk and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes; then sieve or puree in a blender. Reheat and add half the fresh cream.

3.  Pour into a soup tureen or individual dishes and float the remaining cream on the top of each, with a few celery leaves. Serve immediately.