Celeriac, Apple & Leek Soup
Fall is in, and soup season is back! Today, I’m sharing a favorite way to enjoy celeriac. It’s a delicious root vegetable that can be a bit intimidating to work with, but trust me, it’s worth the effort! This creamy celeriac, apple & leek soup, seasoned with nutmeg and topped with a dollop of crème fraîche and fresh thyme, is the cozy, comforting bowl you need as the weather turns.
The beauty of this soup is its flexibility. If you don’t have the exact ingredients on hand or want to bulk it up, feel free to get creative! Potatoes, cannellini beans, or carrots would all work well. And if you’re out of shallots or leeks, you can easily substitute with a regular yellow or sweet white onion.
Celeriac, Apple & Leek Soup
Ingredients:
2 medium celeriacs, peeled and chopped
2 large apples (or 3-4 smaller apples), peeled, cored, and chopped
2 large leeks, cleaned and chopped (or 2 medium yellow onions as a substitute)
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian option)
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream) for garnish
Fresh thyme for garnish
Directions:
Prepare the vegetables: Peel and chop the celeriacs into small chunks. Slice the leeks thinly, using only the white and light green parts. Dice the apples.
Sauté the aromatics: In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the leeks (or onions), shallots, and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add the celeriac and apple: Toss in the chopped celeriac and apples, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to help develop the flavors.
Deglaze with wine: Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the stock and seasonings: Pour in the chicken stock, then add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until the celeriac is tender.
Blend the soup: Once the vegetables are tender, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, you can transfer the soup in batches to a blender.) If the soup is too thick, you can add a little more stock or water to reach your desired consistency.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, then swirl in a spoonful of crème fraîche and garnish with fresh thyme.