I never quite got the lure of Potato Leek soup. It was always something passed around at brunches and dinner parties or something that people associated with the winter months. I never liked potatoes nor did I like cream – but something about the creaminess and texture of the soup seemed to be what drew people in. I was asked, as usual to come up with a different soup for a dinner party we had last week with my family. Instead of making the usual butternut squash or carrot soup which I know will always please – I decided to make my own very seasonal version of Potatoes Leek soup.
Using a my weekly goods from Mama Earth Organics – I had requested this week to have some new visitors in my bin. celeriac root, parsnips and leeks. The celeriac and parsnips were to act as my potatoes and leeks were to do what they do – giving the soup a subtle yet highly effective onion flavor.
What is Celeriac?
Celery root or celeriac looks like an oddly shaped brown turnip. It has a unique flavor – that resembles celery but quite different. Hard to explain it’s just one of those roots veggies you need to experience for yourself. Nutritionally speaking celery root is used for diuretic purposes and helps with kidney stones. It stimulates appetite and digestion and supports many systems of the body.
It is a great addition to soups and stews giving a robust and rich texture without being to starchy or heavy. It is definitely a root to give a go this season. Peel it and slice it into a salad with vinaigrette, roast them in the oven or add them diced to soups, or other baked or sauteed dishes.
Here’s what I did with mine, which turned out to be a success – all pureed, creamy and delicious and happy faces all around.
Autumn Celeriac and Parsnip Soup
Ingredients
2 small celery root or celeriac (peeled and chopped)
6 parsnips, chopped
1 large leek, chopped and rinsed well (to remove dirt)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
6 cups of water
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp sea salt
¼ cup nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Chopped and peel all the vegetables and set aside in separate bowls. For the leeks, use most of the leek except for the dark green tough ends. (Approx. ¾ of the leek)
- Warm oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the well rinsed slices of leeks to the pot and sauté for several minutes until softened.
- Add in the celery root and parsnips and sauté for a few more minutes and then slowly add the 6 cups of water.
- Bring water to a boil , stir in the rosemary, thyme and sea salt and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.
- When the roots vegetables are soft enough to put a fork through them, turn off the heat and blend. (You can either use a hand blender or transfer into a blender to puree).
- Blend the soup until it becomes thick and creamy and continue to warm in the pot. Stir in the nutritional yeast and allow the flavours to meld for at least 5 minutes.
Small celeriac are tastier and less pithy than the larger ones. If you buy the root with stems, remove them and store them both separately. The root will keep up to a week in the fridge.
