Cream of Celeriac Soup

To prepare your mise en place, finely dice the onions and emince the garlic. Peel and cut the celeriac into small, even pieces. Reserve one cup of nicely diced celeriac for garnish. Measure out the butter, flour and milk. Set aside.

Note: Vegetable or a light chicken stock can be substituted for the milk, if desired.

To prepare the garnish, preheat a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil, followed by the celeriac. Season with salt and pepper. Saute the celeriac until it is nicely browned on all sides. Once done, drain on paper towels and set aside.

To make the soup, melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic along with a pinch of salt. Gently sweat until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the celeriac and stir to coat with the fat. Continue to sweat for a few minutes until somewhat softened.

Next, singer with the flour and stir to combine. Temper in the milk a bit at a time. Turn the heat up to medium and bring the soup to a simmer. Season with a good pinch of salt. Stir often to make sure the bottom does not scorch.

Let the soup gently simmer until the celeriac is tender and cooked all the way through. Once tender, add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to do this in batches. Return the blended soup to a clean pot and bring just to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Temper in the cream, if using.

Divide the sauteed celeriac and place into the bottom of each warmed bowl. Pour the soup over top and serve.