Celery Root Soup with Confit Potatoes

I've been making this soup proffessionally for at least 15 years. This is a soup that I started making early on in my career and it was featured on quite a few coursed meals. It's very simple to make, and the smooth luxurious texture of the celery root never ceases to impress. My garnish on this soup was new for this, as I cooked some purple potatoes in oil and tossed them in a little of the soup with chive to make a simple potato salad.

This particular version is a variation on how I used to make it in restaurants, with additional seasonings as well as a splash of sherry vinegar to help balance the richness. Also you don't need to use chicken stock if you want to keep this vegetarian, but the broth enhances the flavor immensely. Additionally you could make this vegan by omitting the cream and butter, but once again the final flavor of this soup is rich and comforting the way it is.

Enjoy.

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Ingredients

Soup

• Celery Root, peeled and diced 4 ea

• Potatoes, yukon gold, peeled and diced 3 ea

• Onions, peeled and sliced 2 ea

• Cream 1 qt

• Chicken Stock 2 qt

• Sherry Vinegar 1/4 cup

• Butter 2 T

• Crushed Red Pepper 1 tsp

• Avenue Spice 2 tsp

• Bay Leaves 4 ea

• Mustard Powder 1 tsp

• Salt and Pepper to taste

Confit Potato Salad

• Celery Root, diced 1 cup

• Avenue Spice 2 tsp

• Chicken Stock 1/2 cup

• Purple Potatoes, whole 4 ea

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3 cups

• Chives 1 oz

• Celery Root Bisque 1/2 cup

Garnish

Confit Potato Salad, Chives

Method of Procedure

1. Peel and dice your potatoes and celeriac, reserving 1 cup of diced celery root for your poato salad.

2. Place your butter into your soup pot and add onions, celery root, and yukon gold potatoes.

3. Cook while stirring until onions are softened then add crushed red pepper, Avenue Spice, bay leaves, mustard powder, and some salt and pepper.

4. Continue to cook while stirring until the seasonings are evenly distributed on the vegetables.

5. Deglaze pan with a spash of sherry vinegar, then add cream and chicken stock.

6. Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are softened.

7. Remove bay leaves and puree in a blender or with a stick blender until smooth.

8. If you want to ensure a velvety texture, run through a sieve or china cap.

9. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

10. While the soup is cooking place your olive oil in a sauce pan and add your whole purple potatoes.

11. Bring to a low heat and cook the potatoes until tender.

12. Once cooked remove the potatoes from oil and let cook.

13. Dice into cubes the same size as your reserved celery root.

14. In a sauce pan, using a little extra virgin olive oil, saute your reserved celery root until it begins to color. Add your chicken stock and cook until tender.

15. Mixed your diced potatoes, cooked celery root, chives, and Avenue Spice together.

16. Add your finished bisque and gently stir together so you don't break down the cooked potatoes.

17. Heat your soup and garnish with your potato salad and chives.