Winter’s Gnarly, Unsung Hero
You’ve probably seen celeriac at the grocery store. Rather, you may have glanced at this round, knobby, wrinkly, slightly grimy root vegetable and kept right on going. But you should definitely give it a second look. Celeriac, also known as celery root, is a starchy root vegetable with a sweet, earthy, slightly peppery flavour similar to celery (it is, after all, from the same family) with a hint of parsnip. Properly stored, it can last up to several months, making it a practical addition to your winter rotation. It’s also hugely versatile. Once you’ve removed that tough skin, it can be eaten raw in salads or roasted, fried, gratinéed, mashed, diced into a mirepoix or slowly simmered and puréed into a silky-rich soup perfect for the finest dinner party. Now that’s gnarly.
Celeriac Velouté
This soup is elegant enough for a dinner party, but easy enough for a weeknight supper. Its velvety texture and mild flavour make it a perfect canvas for other flavours; top it with some crispy fried sage leaves, frizzled shallots or crumbled bacon and/or a drizzle of brown butter or chive oil.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 lbs peeled celery root (celeriac), roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup cream, preferably heavy
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish: croutons, pepitas, crispy fried sage leaves, brown butter, chive oil, or as you like
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Cook until soft and fragrant, but do not allow to brown.
Stir in the peeled and roughly chopped celery root, along with the bay leaves and thyme, then add the milk and stock. Cook over medium or medium-low heat until celeriac is fork tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and make sure the mixture doesn’t burn.
Remove from heat. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprig and discard.
Strain the celeriac, reserving the cooking liquid, and transfer the solids to a blender or food processor. Add a spoonful or two of cooking liquid then process until the celeriac is smooth — if you like, you can also pass it through a fine mesh sieve to catch any wayward lumps.
Return the purée and cooking liquid to the pot over medium heat. (If needed, wipe out the pot first.) Heat through, but do not boil, then stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until it is warm enough to serve. Divide among bowls for serving and top with garnishes of your choice, ideally something crispy/crunchy and a drizzle of flavoured oil.
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