I’ve been talking about making potato and leek soup for a few weeks now but when a Celeriac root showed up in my CSA box last week I really got excited.
If, you don’t know what celeriac is, check out the ugly, sort of hairy knobby root on the left (picture above). Celeriac, also known as celery root, is a type of celery grown for its roots. Unlike most root vegetables, celeriac is low in starch and high in water and fiber. It is a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese, and an excellent source of Vitamin C and Phosphorus.
I happen to love the flavor but I love most all root veggies! It tastes quite similar to celery, and can be prepared like rutabagas, parsnips, turnips, and carrots.
Needless to say, we eat a lot of soup in the fall and winter months. My friends love coming to my home for soup suppers. One of my most requested soups is this September Soup. Two of my husband’s faves are French Onion and any version of my Chili’s!
Soups are simple to make, comforting on a cold day and I can usually pull one off with whatever I have in the fridge. But for something so simple, there really is a lot of bad soup out there. I think the key to good soup is starting with flavourful ingredients (good veggies) and using good quality homemade stock, be it vegetable or chicken.
I love this sweet and savory mixture! This soup is very simple and comforting and all about the garnishes. I find it is often the garnishes that take a soup from being good to being great. So here I added some crispy walnuts and a little feta cheese for added depth and a little crunch and saltiness.
Don’t be to hung up on the quantity of veg. I suggested 2 medium leeks and 1 large potato, a couple of celeriac roots but one would be sufficient! No need to be precise. If your veg is slightly larger, you might need a bit more broth… go for it. Add a splash more of stock/water, adjust seasoning and I’m sure your soup will be lovely. Soup making is not baking (wow this rhymes), you don’t need to be exact (which is why I prefer cooking to baking…sorry mom
) to get wonderful results.
In summary, this soup recipe is quite flexible, and as long as you have the basic ingredients (some sort of aromatic + root vegetable + stock), you can make some version of this soup. Bon-appetite!
POTATO, LEEK, ONION, APPLE, & CELERIAC SOUP
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 leeks, white and light green part only, halved lengthwise, cleaned and sliced or chopped
- Salt to taste
- 2 pounds celeriac, peeled and diced
- 1 large russet potato (about 3/4 pound), peeled and diced
- 1 granny smith or braeburn apples, cored, peeled and diced
- 2 quarts water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each thyme and parsley, and a stem or two of the celery from the celery root, if still attached
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
GARNISHES:
- Slivered celery leaves for garnish
- walnuts and some salty cheese (feta or blue cheese)
- prosciutto or crispy bacon
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion, leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the celeriac and a generous pinch of salt, cover partially and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often, until the celeriac has begun to soften.
- Add the potatoes, apples, water or stock, salt to taste, and the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour, or until the vegetables are very tender and the soup is fragrant. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.
- Blend the soup in batches in a blender (cover the top with a towel and hold it down to avoid hot splashes), or through a food mill fitted with the fine blade. The soup should be very smooth. Strain if desired. Return to the pot. Stir and taste. Adjust salt, add freshly ground pepper, and heat through.
- Serve in small bowls or espresso cups, garnished with thin slivers of celery leaves, or bacon, walnuts & feta.
[reminder]Anyone else love soup year round? [/reminder]
[reminder]What is your favorite soup? Are you involved in a running group?[/reminder]
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