Creamy Celeriac and Potato Soup
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You won't even recognize your leftovers with this sophisiticated soup.
by Erin Henderson
A few weeks ago, I shared a recipe for my celeriac-potato purée that I have been making on repeat all season.
The celeriac give a sweet lightness to the potatoes, and the potatoes offer structure and depth to the celeriac. It's a winner, and if you haven't tried it yet, stop everything you're doing and get to the kitchen pronto.
It's absolutely delcious as a base for braised short ribs, and completely comforting with roast chicken. Guests always go back for more, so I make lots.
You also might like: The Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe
My fear of running out means I always have leftovers – even after the second and third helpings. I'm not the biggest fan of reheating day-old mashed, it seems to lose something in the overnight process, so I came up with this idea for using the purée in a vague take on vichyssoise. Smooth, enticingly flavourful, and gorgeous with a shower of Brussels sprout leaves and pancetta running overtop, this is both welcome as a warming lunch at home, and polished enough to start a dinner party.
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Creamy Celeriac-Potato Soup
This is a terrific recipe for those busy weekends when you might be hosting a dinner on Friday night, using the celeriac mash as part of that meal, and then having people over for a casual Sunday lunch.
Repurposing leftovers not only breathes new life into something that might find its way to the bin after hanging out in the back of the fridge for a week or two, but also cuts down on prep time.
Makes: About 3 litres
Chef level: Easy
For the soup:
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 large leek sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
- 5 cups celeriac mash
- 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
- 5 sprigs thyme, tied in a bundle for easy removal
- 1 cup cream
- Into a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- When frothy, add the leek and garlic, cooking gently until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes.
- Season gently with salt and pepper.
- Add in the white wine, cook until reduced by half, about another 5 minutes.
- Add in the celeriac mash, stock, and thyme, stirring to combine, and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes.
- Using a hand/immersion blender, blitz the soup until smooth and creamy and no chunks remain.
- Stir in the cream, adjust seasoning, and serve with the Brussels sprout and pancetta garnish.
For the Garnish
- 8 oz cubed pancetta
- 10 Brussels sprouts, leaves torn off and separated
- ½ cup thick sour cream or crème fraiche
- Into a dry sauté pan set over medium heat, add the pancetta, stirring and cooking until fat has rendered and meat is starting crisp.
- Add the Brussels sprout leaves, allowing the leaves to crisp and char in spots.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper if desired and remove from heat.
- Sprinkle the pancetta/Brussels sprouts mixture over top of the soup, dotting with crème fraiche.
Wine Pairing
Because of the soup's earthy, vegetale nature, pair this with a wine with flavours that will compliment that green-edged quality, and have enough lip-smacking acidity to cut through the dairy richness.
Try a Pouilly-Fumé, a white wine made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes from France's Loire region. It has flavours of ripe fruit and flinty/chalky mineral with that classic, Sauv Blanc herbal note.