Puree' of Celery Root & Yukon Gold Potato Soup

By Foodiewife

Celery Root (or celeriac) is an ugly looking vegetable. It's so worth overlooking it's unsightliness, because it's delicious in a soup, with gratins or even pureed with mashed potatoes. It has a mild celery flavor with a slight note of parsley. I developed this soup, when I was craving a very mild comfort food that would be healthy but satisfying. This is the one! Please visit my food blog to see how I made this delicious soup!
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/12/creamy-comforting-puree-of-celery-root.html

Ingredients

• GARNISH:
• 1 quart homemade chicken stock (or a quality commercial brand)
• 1 celery root
• 1 large leek, cleaned and cut into thin slices
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 small Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (or skim milk)
• Fresh chopped chives
• Creme fraiche

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 45mins
Adapted from foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Wash and trim the celery root of it's outer skin and roots. Cut into small pieces (about 2-inches). Wash and cut the potatoes (un-skinned) into similar sizes.

To prepare the leeks, cut in half lengthwise. Then slice into half moons. Place into a colander and then into a bowl and fill with water. Swish the leeks around so that the soil sinks to the bottom of the bowl. Pat the leeks dry.

In a Dutch Oven, heat the olive oil on medium heat and then cook the leeks until tender-- about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock, celery root and potatoes and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until fork tender, about 20 minutes.

An immersion blender is ideal to puree the soup. Otherwise, carefully puree (in batches) in a blender, until smooth. Return back to the pot.

Add the white pepper (black is okay, but the white pepper keeps the soup looking light green in color) and add sea salt, to taste.

Add about 1/4 cup of heavy cream (or skim milk, if you prefer).

Garnish with fresh chives and creme fraiche or with fresh parsley.

For a little extra flavor, add some fresh lemon juice, which I always do!