Cream of Celeriac Soup

[Bill M]

Bill's Cream of Celeriac soup

This recipy is all my own work.  I love it, it is scrummy and for those who hate celery fear not as it tastes more nutty and warm than of celery.  I am really chuffed at how it turned out.  Like a lot of good recipies it is also very simple.

Ingreedygrunts

One head of celeriac - roughly cut up into chips.
One medium turnip - similarly cut up.
One large onion - roughly chopped.
Two vegetable stock cubes
Approximately 1.3lt of water.
2 crushed garlic cloves.
Approx 1inch of chopped ginger root.
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper.
Olive oil
100ml single cream.

Parsly or celery leaves, garnish.

Me-ethod

Put the celeriac and turnips in a large saucepan.  If you have good vegetable stock use that but if not then stock cubes work just as well.  Add enough water so that the vegetables lift from the bottom of the pan.  Add the vegetable stock cubes, cover the pan and bring to the boil.  Once boiling turn down the heat and simmer for ten minutes. 

While the celeriac and turnips are cooking put some olive oil in a small wok or heavy bottomed frying pan.  Just sufficient to fry the onions.  Once good and hot put in the onions.  Allow to caremelise {I actually like to burn them a little bit as I like the flavour}.  Once almost done add the garlic and ginger.  When the garlic is just softened remove from the heat and set to one side.

When the celeriac has cooked for ten minutes add the contents of the frying pan and continue cooking at a simmer until the celeriac and turnip are cooked right through - approx ten minutes.

Remove the from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Taking care not to spill the hot liquid, blitz with a hand blender until smooth.  You may need to add some more stock or water at this point to get the right consistency, which should be like single cream.  Once blitzed season to taste. 

{The soup is best stored in a freezer at this point i.e. before adding cream.  Once the cream is added the soup should be consumed straight away.}

Before serving bring up to heat if necessary, add the cream and adjust seasoning if required.  Serve in large bowls with a sprinkling of chopped celery leaf or parsly.  A large wedge of buttered granary bread converts this warming soup into a delicious lunchtime meal.

Yummy.

[Bill M]

[calendula]

sounds really nice Bill. I gave up trying to grow celeriac after years of trying all the usual methods of getting it to grow bigger than a golf ball - any secrets

I'm also trying to build a A4A recipe book (see a much earlier thread for details) - can I have this for the book + any pics you have of the celeriac growing  :D

[manicscousers]

hiya, bill, nice to meet you, I've printed it off and will keep it 'til next year, forgot to plant any this year, by the time I realised, no room left  ;D

[Lindsay]

How about Celeriac and Sweet Potato Soup? I know that plenty of people here have managed to grow a good supply of sweet potatoes!  This is one of my favourite winter soups, so tasty!

- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- One small head celeriac, about 2 pounds (peeled, quartered and sliced)
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- Salt, pepper
- a small piece of fresh ginger, (about 2 inches), peeled, and grated or thinly minced
- Stock
- 1/3 cup milk

Heat oil, add garlic, cook for a couple of minutes. Add vegetables, cook on low for 10 minutes, then add enough stock or hot water to cover. Cook for 35 minutes. Blend, add milk.

Deeeelicious!

[Bill M]

Calendula - very happy for you to use this recipy in your book :D.

The celeriac and sweet potatoe sounds good as well.  I'll try that this weekend, although this wet summer killed off all my sweet potatoes so I'll have to visit the supermarket.  (Don't worry - I'll go in disguise) :-[

Most of my celeriac are about 1/2Kg each once peeled and prepared.  There are some smaller ones but they look like they are catching up.  This is my first year growing them - but will not be my last. 

There is a celeriac growing thread in the main forum and basically I did the same as most advice posted in that thread.  Plenty of compost, sowed early Feb and planted out March/April and fed with Chempack 2 once a week for the first two months.  Once established mostly left to their own devices.  It has been a wet year so that probably helped.    Kept weed free as well.

[calendula]

ooh, thank you, Bill M  :D

[silverbirch]

Nice one, I shall keep it.  I love celeriac.  To calendula, they need lots of space - a foot at least between plants, and plenty of water.

My fave is celeriac and leek soup, we always have it as a starter at Chrismas.  Take any of the other recipes, and replace the whatever with leeks.

[star]

Welcome Bill,

Its great to have you here, specially with yummy recipe in tow ;D