Celery flavor, root vegetable strength

Published 6:57 pm Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Celeriac, also known as celery root or celery knob, is knobby root vegetable ranging in size from an apple to a cantaloupe.

Available October through April, especially in local farmers’ markets, the vegetable needs to have its furrowed outer surface sliced off before it can land in a dish. It’s too tough to peel.

Because of its celery flavor, it is usually found in soups, casseroles and gratins. It can also be roasted like a potato, giving it a crispy edge, or mashed.

“With its warm golden color and slight hint of celery flavor, this hearty soup celebrates the advent of autumn, as well as celeriac,” says Seattle cookbook author Braiden Rex-Johnson.

Celery Root Soup

Serves 6 to 8

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small white or yellow onion, diced

1 shallot, diced

1 rib celery, diced

1 large celery root (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

2 bay leaves

5 cups chicken stock or 2 1/2 cups canned chicken broth plus 2 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup crème fraîche

1 cup whipping cream

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat and add the onions, shallots and celery. Cook until the onions are translucent, stirring often, 5 to 8 minutes. Avoid browning the onions.

2. Add the celery root, thyme, bay leaves and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the celery root is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard.

3. Purée the soup in small batches.

4. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing out the solids with the back of a large spoon to remove as much liquid as possible.

5. Return the soup to the saucepan over low heat, add the crème fraîche and cream, and stir well. Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally, but do not allow it to return to a boil or it could curdle. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. To serve, garnish with fresh thyme.

Recipe adapted from the “Pike Place Market Cookbook: Recipes, Anecdotes, and Personalities from Seattle’s Renowned Public Market,” by Braiden Rex-Johnson (Sasquatch Books, 2003, $19.95).

Cook’s Hint: When serving celery root raw, peel and soak it in acidulated water (water diluted with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar) to keep the cut surfaces from turning dark.