Creamy Celeriac Soup
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
I love vegetables, and I have an unfortunate affinity for the rarer ones. The harder to find, the more difficult to cultivate, the shorter their growing season—the more I desire them.
Belgian endive, sunchokes, white asparagus, morel mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, Afghan gandana, finger limes, mangosteen, fresh passionfruit . . . I relish them all. Perhaps it is their novelty that makes them so alluring. The thrill of the (farmers market) hunt makes it all the more satisfying when I do finally get to enjoy these treats.
Celeriac, or celery root, is one of those vegetables that is a little harder to come by. Fortunately, these days, you can often find them at markets with excellent produce selections. Still, there are many who have never tasted this unique vegetable.
When I first came across one—in a CSA box—I was perplexed. Celeriac is not likely to win any produce beauty pageants (how come there aren’t produce beauty pageants?) With its thick, gnarled, hairy exterior, it kind of looks like a grumpy coconut.
It resembles a root vegetable, but does not exactly grow underground; most of the bulb protrudes from the soil, sort of like a giant carrot being pushed out of the ground. The many small offshoots on the bulb are actually the root parts of the plant.
Not unlike a few people I know, once you work your way through its tough and off-putting exterior, celeriac is sweet and delicious inside. It has a very mild nutty taste, reminiscent of celery but with a sweeter and more complex flavor. (I hate raw celery, but I love the taste of celeriac).
It can be eaten raw or cooked, and there are myriad preparations—it may be thinly-sliced or shredded in a salad; you may find it boiled, mashed, roasted, or baked. In this recipe, we will sauté it in butter before cooking it down in stock and puréeing it into a thick, decadent soup. Thanks to its mild taste, it pairs well with many other vegetables, so feel free to add some carrots, cauliflower, turnips, or any other favorites to this soup.
Creamy Celeriac Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 medium bulbs celeriac (each will be roughly the size of a large grapefruit)
- Kosher salt
- 3 cups (700mL) chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ cup (120mL) heavy cream
- Optional: Sliced parsley or chives to garnish
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- Using a sharp knife, slice the bottom and top off the celeriac bulb. Switching to a smaller knife if necessary, slice the skin off the bulb, as if you were making citrus suprȇmes. Do not worry about removing too much flesh; it is somewhat impossible to avoid.
Step 2
- Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. While the butter is melting, cut the celeriac into medium chunks.
- Add the shallot to the melted butter and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the celeriac, stir to coat, and season with kosher salt. Sauté until the chunks of celeriac become browned and begin to soften.
Step 3
- Add the stock, and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, for 30 minutes or so, until the celeriac chunks are cooked through and the stock has reduced (it should just cover the vegetables).
Step 4
- Transfer to a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix, and purée until completely smooth. Return to the saucepan and whisk in the cream. Simmer gently for 10 minutes or so, allowing the flavors to meld.
Step 5
- Taste the soup and correct the seasoning. Divide among serving bowls, and garnish with chives if desired.
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
This creamy celeriac soup is a little bit sweet and a little bit nutty. The best wine pairing reflects those same characteristics: look no further than white Bordeaux! White wines from this region are often blends of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and sometimes Muscadelle. The beauty of these wines is that they have an appropriate amount of acidity and nutty flavor while maintaining a fair bit of weight and richness. Cheers!
