Each food group has its own candidate for the ugliest, the least likely to succeed in attracting through appearance. Monkfish are mighty ugly when encountered head on; wild boar are pretty scary; and there are some prickly looking fruits that resemble weapons more than edibles.
Among vegetables, the celery root is right up there when it comes to daunting looks. However, the vegetable has its uses. In addition to celery remoulade, the sophisticated French way with a raw vegetable, celery root can be cooked, often combined with potatoes. Recently I tried out a celery root soup and found it both delicate and flavorful. It was the curry that brought out the taste without overwhelming the flavor.
One problem of dealing with this vegetable is that the weight in the store includes scary hairy protuberances that have to be trimmed, so it is hard to know how much root one will end up with. Some of the bulbs are only baseball size, while others are considerably larger but include a lot more that needs trimming.
Since I like my soup to have a sturdy consistency, this recipe requires a large bulb, or a couple of smaller ones. I find that a peeler works on the top and sides, but the bottom definitely requires knife work.
Ingredients
4 Tbsp butter
2 leeks, cleaned and chopped or one medium onion
1 Tbsp sliced garlic
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp ground cumin
3 lbs. celery root, peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
½ cup cream, half and half, evaporated milk or to desired consistencychopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
Directions
- Melt butter in a soup pot. Add leeks, or onion, and garlic and cook until soft
- Add curry powder and cumin, salt and pepper, until seasoning releases its flavor.
- Add celery root, stir to coat vegetable,
- Add broth and bring to a boil.
- Cook until celery root is soft, about 25 minutes.
- Cool sufficiently to puree in blender.
- Add cream to desired consistency.
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