Apple Soup With Juniper

1½ pounds tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 3)

2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for optional garnish

2 small ribs celery, chopped (about ½ cup)

2 shallot lobes, chopped (about ¼ cup)

One 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon dried juniper berries

4 green cardamom pods

3 allspice berries

1 small (3-inch) cinnamon stick

8 large sprigs flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

1 sprig thyme

4 cups homemade or no-salt-added vegetable broth

1 cup unsweetened apple cider

½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

Core, peel and chop the apples. Save and thinly slice the peel of 1 apple, if you like, for an optional garnish.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a 2-quart or larger soup pot over low heat. Add the apples, celery, shallot and ginger, then cover and cook gently until soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the dried juniper berries, cardamom pods, allspice, cinnamon stick, 8 sprigs of parsley and the thyme sprig in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it closed with kitchen twine; this is your spice sachet.

Once the apple mixture is soft, pour the broth and cider into the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high; add the spice sachet and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, so the liquid is barely bubbling. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, until everything is very soft and the flavors have melded.

Meanwhile, if you want to make the apple-peel garnish, line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 or 3 more tablespoons of the oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Once the oil shimmers, working in batches to avoid overcrowding, scatter in some of the thinly sliced peels and cook, stirring frequently, until they are lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining peels.

Remove the soup pot from the heat. Discard the spice sachet. Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the soup in the pot, then pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing down on the solids. Add the salt and pepper, and reheat the soup gently over low heat. Taste, and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Divide among individual bowls, garnishing each portion with the fried apple peels, if using, and a few parsley leaves.

The soup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 5½ cups)

Nutrition | Per serving (based on 6): 140 calories, 0 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 20 g sugar

Adapted from "Fire (plus) Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking," by Darra Goldstein (Ten Speed Press, 2015).