Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter (, unsalted)
• 2 garlic cloves (, finely chopped)
• 1 onion (, diced (brown or yellow))
• 1/2 leek (white part only) (, diced into ½ in / ½" cubes (~ 3/4 cup, Note 1))
• 3 celery stems (, diced into ½ in / ½" cubes (~1 1/2 cups))
• 1.6 lb (peeled weight) celeriac (, cut into ¾ in / ⅘" cubes (~2lb unpeeled, Note 2))
• 7oz potato (, peeled, cut into ¾ in / 4/5" cubes (floury or all-rounder – about 1 large; Note 3))
• / quarts (6 cups) water (, or stock if you prefer)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 cup cream (, full fat (pure, thickened or heavy, Note 4))
• 1 bay leaf (, fresh)
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorn ((go without if no sachet))
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds ((1/8 tsp powder if no sachet))
• Croutons ((Note 6))
• Olive oil (, for drizzling)
• 1 tbsp chives (, finely chopped (sub parsley or chervil))

Method

1. Tie the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, black peppercorns and coriander seeds loosely in a small piece of cheesecloth with cooking twine to make the spice and herb sachet for the celeriac soup.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and cook the diced onion, leek, celery and finely chopped garlic for 10 minutes until the onion is soft but not golden, building the flavour base slowly.
3. Add the celeriac and potato cubes to the pot and cook them for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until their outsides start to soften, taking care that the celeriac does not colour so the soup stays pale.
4. Pour in the water, add the salt and white pepper and drop in the sachet, bring the pot to the boil, then simmer the celeriac soup uncovered for 25 minutes until the celeriac is very soft.
5. Stir the cream into the soup and simmer it for another 3 minutes so the cream warms through without boiling hard.
6. Pull the sachet out of the pot and blend the soup until fully smooth, then adjust its salt and pepper to your taste.
7. Ladle the celeriac soup into bowls, sprinkle croutons and finely chopped chives over each one and drizzle olive oil across the surface before serving.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 45 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data