Apple-Potato Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Soup
1 red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 celery ribs, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tart apples, peeled and chopped (about 2 pounds)
3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1 large celery root, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 pound)
1 1/2 quarts vegetable broth
1 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup milk or 1/2 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
Apple rings (use 1 per serving for garnish)
1 apple, very thinly sliced
1 -2 tablespoon sugar
salt (optional)
Garnish
6 -8 6 -8 slices imitation bacon or 6 -8 slices crispy pancetta
fresh chives, chopped

Preparation

Saute onion in hot oil over medium-low heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add celery and leek and saute 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes.
Stir in apples and next 8 ingredients (through pepper). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 and thinly slice apple for apple rings using a mandoline if possible. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, and place apple slices in a single layer on sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and bake about 15 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with salt, if desired.
Remove soup from heat and let cool slightly. Process with an immersion blender, or place soup in a food processor or blender and process in batches until smooth. Return to pot.
Stir in milk or half-and-half and next 2 ingredients; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Top with oven-baked apple slices, bacon (vegetarian or regular or crispy pancetta) and chives.