Victorian classics! Carrot, celery and bacon soup

Prince Albert’s Pudding, Victoria Sponge, Beef Curry – no wonder the queen was known to be greedy... here we re-create recipes from a best-selling cook of the age.  

Carrot soup, known as Potage Crécy, was an Eliza Acton speciality. 

This version is flavoured with celery and ham. It was originally created by Charles Elme Francatelli, once Queen Victoria’s chef, and was served at one of her banquets.

Serves 4

• 25g (1oz) butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stick celery, chopped
• 3 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped
• 500g (1lb 2oz) carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs of parsley
• 750ml (1¼pt) hot vegetable stock
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of cayenne

For the croutons

• 4 slices of white bread
• 3tbsp vegetable oil

Melt the butter in a pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion, celery and bacon then stew very gently until tender.

In a separate pan, boil the carrots in slightly salted water with the thyme, bay and 2 of the sprigs of parsley for around 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender. 

Remove the herbs, then add the cooked onion mixture to the pan. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. 

Return to the pan then stir in the stock and lemon juice. Warm through, and season with salt and cayenne.

To make the croutons, cut the crusts off the bread and discard. 

Cut the bread into 1cm dice. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the bread until golden brown on all sides. 

Drain on kitchen paper. Serve the soup sprinkled with the croutons and garnished with a sprig of parsley.