Celeriac, potato, onion and courgette soup

The first thing I think of when autumn arrives is mushrooms. Then pumpkins. And then, celeriac.

But for some reason, they were not stocking it anywhere near us. I kept peeking at the vegetables section each time I visited the shops, and all I saw were sad swedes (the roots, not the people) and tiny squash and potato cubes. No! That will not do!

So I finally braved the rain and wind, walked to a supermarket further away, and found celeriac there. At last!

Celeriac soup with onion, courgette and pine nuts
Celeriac soup with onion, courgette and pine nuts

This appetite of mine for celeriac soup is a bit of a recent thing though. I blame The Celeriac Soup that I had at Brunswick House once.

THE Celeriac soup
THE Celeriac soup at Brunswick House

Have it once, try to mimic it forever. Such is my fate…

But enough reminiscing.

This is my own twist on celeriac soup. Hence, it has pine nuts.

Feel free to alter the recipe and add or replace vegetables. Use whatever you have handy… as long as there’s celeriac. Celeriac is very important.

Ingredients (for 2-3 portions)

  • 1 celeriac root
  • 1 medium potato
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium courgette
  • A bunch of pine nuts
  • Optional: butter (leave out if you want to keep it vegan)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Paprika
  • Black pepper

Preparation

This is an exercise in cooking as many things at once with as many pots and pans as you have and can keep under control!

You will also need a hand blender.

  • Separately peel and dice the celeriac, the potato, onion and courgette.
  • In a deep pan or pot add some oil, bring to a high heat and brown the celeriac in it. Use a medium-high heat and stir frequently (don’t let them burn).
  • Add salt and oil, and brown the courgette cubes in another pan, again on a high heat, and stirring frequently.
  • When the courgette is soft (but still keeps some bite) and browned, remove from the pan and place on a separate dish.
  • Put some oil and a sprinkle of salt back on the pan and add the onion, fry at a medium-high heat for a few minutes then reduce to medium and stir frequently, so it caramelises but does not burn.
  • When the celeriac is browned and quite soft, remove and put into another bowl.
  • Add oil and the diced potato to the pot now, and brown it too.
  • When the onion is nicely soft and caramelised, remove it to a pot.
  • Add some oil and salt, and place the pine nuts in the pan. Gently roast them by stirring frequently over a medium-low heat–be vigilant so they do not burn! Sometimes that can happen very quickly.
  • When the potato is soft and browned, add the celeriac cubes back into the pot. Add enough hot water to cover them, put a lid on, bring the mix to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until things seem soft enough.
  • Turn the heat off, and blend the contents of the pot to a soft mash.
  • Optional: add some butter (about 20 grams or as much as you’d like to have). Or a generous dash of olive oil.
  • Add black pepper, some of the courgette and onion into the pan and blend again.
  • Finally, add water and blend and mix until you get to your desired consistency (some people will like a thicker soup).
Three pots containing caramelised onion, roasted pine nuts, browned courgette
Caramelised onion, roasted pine nuts, browned courgette, in individual pots

To serve, place the soup in a bowl, then decorate with the rest of courgettes and onions. Add the pine nuts, and sprinkle some paprika on top. I used non-smoked, but if smoked is what makes you tick, go for it!

Celeriac soup with caramelised onion, roasted pine nuts, browned courgette
Celeriac soup with caramelised onion, roasted pine nuts, browned courgette

For maximum spookiness, you can also dip in a couple of bones… bone-shaped cheese scones, I mean.

Celeriac soup with onion, courgette, pine nuts and bone-shaped cheese scones
Celeriac soup with onion, courgette, pine nuts and bone-shaped cheese scones

Alternatively, a nice bread will also do. Enjoy!

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