A Soup for The End of The World | Recipe

I know no one reads the wordy bit of a recipe blog. I sure as heck don’t. Where is the Jump to Recipe button? That’s all I care about.

But for the handful of you who decided to stick around for a minute, I would like to say just a few words about this humble little recipe, since I don’t write them down as often as I should.

This recipe honestly came to me out of nowhere. That being said, maybe it came from somewhere, just not somewhere I was consciously aware or in control of. The world is in this topsy turvy sort of upside-downness that, frankly, I’m sick of talking about. The spare few social interactions I’ve been blessed with over the last few weeks have been a mixed bag of under reaction, over reaction, apathy, prudent thinking, and general confusion. I know, right? I’m someone that loves a good plan. One with steps I can break down into lists and tasks which are easy to digest and follow, but with guidelines and procedure changing every day it’s hard to create a guideline for myself, existing halfway in two counties, both with different policies, and staying safe without being either fearful or belligerently stupid. It is maddening for a control freak like me. So what the heck does that have to do with potatoes? Honestly, I don’t know. But thanks for listening anyway.

But really, as I mentioned above, I make lists. All day long. And one list that is usually updated at least twice daily is a pantry/fridge inventory with a running total in my head. And in trying to be forward-thinking in the face of potential food shortages, I bought a bunch of root vegetables. They keep well in the fridge (or on the counter) as these veggies were cultivated specifically to last for long periods of time in the age before modern refrigeration. And I’m not just talking potatoes here, folks. Turnips, rutabagas, carrots, radishes, beets, and celery root are a few of these incredible roots that pay out big in flavor with just a little bit of know-how and preparation. And usually, the prep is just peeling. Really, it’s that simple. So with this inventory in tow, a few days ago the husband and I started work on our duck house. Being first-timers in the poultry housing world, it took both brains, all four hands, and a few rounds of deep breathing over the course of a very long afternoon to bang out a general idea and then structure for said idea. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but typically on days like this, I’d opt for a drive thru. But we find ourselves situated farther outside of town in our current residence and daylight is precious.

And honestly, without even ruminating on it long, I had a general idea for a soup I could throw together between holding boards. It was loosely based on the Bon Appetit broccoli cheddar soup recipe, which also uses potatoes and is a really good non-gloppy veg-centric broccoli soup recipe. Here’s the link if you’re into that kind of thing: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/broccoli-cheddar-soup

Moral of the story, the easiest way to kick a fast food habit is to learn a few skills and recipes, and keep your pantry and fridge decently stocked. Also cook with veggies. The take less time to cook. Less wait time, for me at least, means I’m less likely to forsake my efforts and hit up the closest Panda.

Lastly, before jumping to the recipe I want to speak about an insanely underrated vegetable I believe deserves a rebranding. My friend, the celery root.

If you have access to these ugly, knobbely, flavor bombs, you shouldn’t discount their usefulness just because they look like a fictional set piece from a Tim Burton movie. What they lack in curb appeal, they more than make up for in flavor. Just pick one up and smell it! Or maybe don’t do that in a store right now. You may be charged with bio terrorism or at the very least freak out a few people…wait until you get home to smell it. Trust me, it’s good.

Bring that little mandrake home and sharpen your paring knife (that’s the little on in your knife block) and get to work peeling. You can wash it first if you really want, but I find that makes mud in the crevices and hinders more than helps. I give it a good rinse after peeling. Once peeled you can treat it exactly like a potato. I love these mashed with parsnips and garlic. The more you know, folks!

So anywho, give celery root a chance. You’ll wonder why the entire world is so obsessed with boring potatoes. Or maybe you won’t. Maybe you like bland food, which is cool.

Recipe Notes

-Make sure to peel all veg, celery root and potatoes. Even if you usually don’t peel your potatoes, it will give your puree a funny texture than I just cannot vouch for

-To prep leeks, you need to slice the stalk all the way until the leaves begin to branch out. Then soak them in a bowl of cool water and mix them around with your fingers so the layer break apart. They grow in sandy soil and the dirt particles sometimes get trapped in the layers and that is not a fun thing to bite down on…ask me how I know.

-Prep aromatics first, while the bacon is frying, then prep potatoes and celery root while aromatics are sautéing.

-Season at the end!!!! Otherwise your soup will be really really salty. Not in a good way.

-Use good stock/bone broth. This flavor is really pronounced here and in most soups. Homemade is best, but if you don’t have that ready to go, just use the best quality you can get your hands on. Less sodium the better. Season at the end, you will.

-Substitutions: For a paleo version, you can swap cream out for coconut milk/cream, for vegetarian, use veggie stock, and swap the bacon for butter or olive oil for vegan. For the cheese, any good salty + melty cheese combo will do, I like gruyere and white cheddar for this, but parm + mozzarella would be great as well.

Potato & Leek Soup with Dill & Celery Root

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Nells Magnolia | 04/03/20

• prep time: 15 minutes
  
  
• cook time: 50 minutes
  
  
• total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  
  
  
  Servings: 5
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  
  
• 4 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces
  
  
• 1 shallot, sliced
  
  
• 5 cloves of garlic, whole and smashed
  
  
• 1 large leek, sliced and soaked in cold water
  
  
• 5 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
  
  
• 1 medium-large celery root, greens removed, peeled, and cut into cubes
  
  
• 1 quart of good chicken stock
  
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
  
• 1 cup grated cheese (I used gruyere and white cheddar mixed)
  
  
• Handful of chopped dill
  
  
• Heavy Cream
  
  
  
  Instructions:
  
  
• In a heavy-bottomed cast iron dutch oven, render bacon over medium high heat until bacon is crispy, remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside to drain on a paper towel.
  
  
• Add sliced shallots and leeks(dried off out of the water) to cast iron and saute over medium high, until leek begin to take on some color. Add garlic and saute a few more minutes until fragrant.
  
  
• Add potatoes, celery root, stock, and bay leaf. If the stock doesn't quite cover veg, add a little water until everything is just covered. Bring up to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to medium low and cover with lid slightly ajar. Simmer for 30 minutes or until roots are easier broken with a spoon.
  
  
• While soup is simmering, prepare garnish by chopping bacon into bits, chop dill, and grate cheese. Set Aside.
  
  
• After simmering for 30 minutes, removed bay leaf and blitz soup with either a blender, imersion blender (my preferred method), or a potato masher if you like it really chunky.
  
  
• Removed soup from heat, and stir in cream to taste. Season with salt and pepper, and add half of the chopped dill.
  
  
• To serve, ladle into bowls, and top with crumbled bacon, cheese, and more dill.
  
  
  
  Serving Suggestion:
  
  
• Good crusty bread