celeriac

CREAMY CELERIAC SOUP

You've seen it, that big round knobbly root sitting almost brazenly alongside the parsnips and carrots on the supermarket shelf. It sits there completely unaware of its less than desirable appearance. With a quiet self-assurance it awaits for someone who is already privy to its hidden charms to lob it eagerly into their basket.

If you've never used celeriac in your cooking, I strongly advise you to go out and get one at once! You will be wooed by its delicate aromatic scent and its sweet flavour. Most often I use it as part of any soup or stock that I make, however, it is brilliant roasted or grated raw in coleslaw. However, seeing as we are smack-dab in the middle of winter, I thought I would make a simple creamy celeriac soup to warm up my bones.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 celeriac root, peeled and chopped into cubes

2 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes (slightly larger than the celeriac cubes)

1 leek, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 cups of light stock like vegetable or chicken stock

salt and pepper

2 Tbs. cream

METHOD:

1. In a medium pot, sauté leek, onion and garlic until soft and translucent 
2. Add the celeriac, sauté for a minute, then add the potatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to ensure the leeks and onions don’t burn and the ingredients are evenly distributed. 
3. Pour in the stock – I used my home-made rabbit stock this time but you can use any light stock here – bring to a boil  then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Purée the soup with a hand blender or food processor 
6. Pour in the cream and give it a nice stir until fully incorporated
7. Top with home-made croutons or celeriac chips, and a sprinkle of parsley