Blog loads: Sunday, January 17, 2016
Me: SERIOUSLY???
I must have slipped into a late winter hibernation, because I’m not quite sure how I let four months go by sans blog post. (Well, maybe I can. Let’s admit it; I’m pretty flaky about this whole blog thing.) But I’ve been cooking up a storm since then; and I’ve got photographic evidence to prove it. The husband and I have spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen together lately, which is always a relaxing way to wind down after a busy day in the office – glass of wine in hand, please.
This celery soup is a result of one of those evenings of culinary collaboration, in large part because it involves celery root – also known as celeriac – and I cannot, for the life of me, seem to be able to work with that vegetable without making a mess of things. He deftly removes the knobbly outer layer and slices through the remaining root with ease, neither of which I can do with much grace. I take to the chopping celery and onion and, though there were a few allium-induced tears, sigh contentedly and take a sip of rosé – because I’m starting rosé season early this year. :)
This recipe is based on a recipe published by Bon Appétit in September of 2014, which you can find here. I cut back on the butter, and swapped in the celery root in place of potato; I figured it would help to enhance the celery flavor and, quite frankly, it’s what I had on hand. I’m flexible with the herbs too – I couldn’t find fresh dill, so I used parsley and topped the whole thing with a few celery leaves. Chives and lovage would be lovely herbal options as well.
Creamy Celery Soup
Serves 4-6
Click here for a printable recipe
1 bunch of celery, chopped with leaves reserved
1 medium-sized celery root, cut to ½” dice
2 T. unsalted butter
1 t. olive oil
3 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 c. fresh herbs: Dill, parsley, chives, or lovage would all be nice options
1/3 c. heavy cream
Salt & Pepper (white pepper would be nice if you have it)
Add the butter and olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Add the celery root and cook 5 minutes, until it starts to soften; then, add the celery, onion, and a pinch of salt and cook another 8-10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and cook until the celery root is tender, 10-12 minutes. Add the herbs, and puree with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender carafe and blend until very smooth. For an especially smooth soup, strain the soup back into the saucepan through a fine mesh sieve (I skipped this step because I didn’t want to dirty another dish – I’d say it’s definitely optional). Stir in the cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with a few celery leaves and serve.
P.S. I have an inclination this soup would also be delicious served chilled. Will update this post if I ever try it out!
