Celeriac is not a very commonly used vegetable in the United States, unfortunately. But, very popular in Europe. During my years in Germany celeriac was a popular root vegetable in the market. In France, celeriac remoulade is standard fare in bistros.

Although this vegetable is called celery root, it is not the root of a celery plant but a root vegetable of its own, and yes, it has a green top. The root is ugly and gnarled, but is beauty lies in its other attributes. Celeriac is high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. It’s low in calories and carbohydrates, and contains vitamins C and K, potassium, and phosphorus.  It is also light in texture when cooked. It is rather versatile and makes a good addition to mashed potatoes.

The soup works well as either a hot soup in the winter or a cold soup in the summer. Once the ingredients are cooked, they can be passed through a potato ricer, blended in a blender or food processor, or simply blended with an immersion blender. I tend to go the easy route and blend with an immersion blender.

Ingredients:

1. 1 large celeriac, peeled, chopped
2. 3 carrots, peeled, chopped
3. 8 ounces shitake mushrooms
4. 2 leeks, trimmed, mostly white
5. 2 bay leaves
6. Small bunch of thyme leaves
7. 4 cups Chicken or vegetable stock or broth
8. 2 cups water
9. Small bunch of parsley
10. 4 green onions
11. salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Meanwhile, peel and cut the celeriac into 1” chunks
2. Wash the carrots, peel and cut into ½” rounds
3. Wash leeks and peel into ½” rounds
4. Wash and chop the shitake mushrooms
5. Put a stock pot on the stove over medium high heat. 
6. Add the butter. 
7. When the butter melts, add the cleaned, chopped vegetables to the pot and stir to coat.
8. Put the bay leaves and thyme in a small bag or tie with kitchen twine for easy removal
9. Add the broth or stock and the water to the pot and bring to a boil.
10. Reduce the heat to a high simmer and simmer for about 30 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, chop the parsley and green onions.  They will garnish the soup once served.
12. Remove the bay leaves and thyme.
13. Using an immersion blender (or food processor) blend the soup
14. Taste and season with salt & pepper.
15. Check for consistency and add more water if too thick or cook down if too thin!
16. Serve with the reserved chopped parsley and green onions.

Note: This soup can be served hot or cold.  If hot, serve immediately, if cold, refrigerate for a couple of hours.