Curried Celery-Apple Soup with Shiitake

1 head garlic, peeled

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup white miso paste

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons yellow curry powder

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 bunch celery, chopped

1 small apple - peeled, cored, and chopped

1 cup chicken broth

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

¼ cup water

1 cup dried sliced shiitake mushrooms

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon black truffle oil

Using a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt into a paste.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic paste, miso paste, cumin, curry powder, celery seed, black pepper, 1 tablespoon sea salt, celery, and apple to the skillet; cook and stir until the celery is slightly softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Spoon about half the apple and celery mixture into a blender along with the chicken broth. Hold the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the mixture moving before leaving it on to puree. Pour into a stockpot over medium heat along with the remaining mixture from the skillet, keeping some of the drippings in the skillet.

Place the skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken in the drippings until completely browned, about 5 minutes. Pour the water into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour entire contents of skillet into the stockpot along with the shiitake mushrooms. Simmer the soup until the mushrooms have softened, about 20 minutes. Stir the balsamic vinegar and truffle oil into the soup to serve.