Celery Root Soup with Hazelnut Parsley Chermoula
I have always been a fan of a creamy celery root soup. I have added a peeled green apple and a carrot to this recipe to balance out the tartness of the celery root with a little bit of sweet. This soup is a perfect addition to your Easter menu. I created a hazelnut fennel seed chermoula, which is a typical relish used in Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Morrocco, it can also be a marinade but I swirled the chermoula onto the soup to add color and a bit of spice. I made my chermoula with parsley, toasted hazelnuts and fennel seeds and chili pepper flakes. I must admit, it took the soup to the next flavor. In honor of easter and the pretty colors of spring, I topped my soup with seasonal colored flowers, herbs and sprouts and a little fennel pollen. I was super happy with how the soup tasted and looked. I like my soup pretty thick and creamy but feel free to add a little more broth or water to your desired consistency. Make this soup a day or two ahead. If you use broth, you are getting a ton of minerals and celery root is filled with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Makes 5-6 servings / Prep time 20 minutes / Cook time 25 minutes / Total time 45 minutes
Gather
For the celery soup
2 tablespoons / 29.57 ml avocado oil
2 tablespoons/ 29.57 ml olive oil
2 leeks, white parts only cut into ribbons, washed
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium celery root, peeled, (do this with a paring knife and not a peeler) and cubed
1 green apple, peeled and cubed
6 cups / 1.42 l broth (recipe here) or water
1/3 cup / 79 ml almond milk
1/2 teaspoon / 2.84 g grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon / 4.93 ml Ume plum vinegar
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
For the hazelnut fennel chermoula
1/2 cup/64 grams raw hazelnuts
1 and 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 squeezed lemon juice
1 cup/ 128 grams chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup avocado oil
1/2 cup /118 ml hazelnut or walnut oil
Make
Celery soup
Place a medium/large sauce pan over medium heat and add the oils. Add the leeks and carrots and sauté, stirring frequently so leeks do not burn for 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir another 2 minutes. Then add the celery root and apple and stir till combined. Pour in the broth or water and cover with a lid, leaving the pot slightly ajar. Lower the flame. Stir periodically until the celery pieces are fork tender. Add the almond milk, nutmeg, and plum vinegar and transfer the soup to a blender and process in batches. Salt and pepper to taste. Return to the soup pot.
Hazelnut Fennel Chermoula
While the soup is cooking make the chermoula. Toast the hazelnuts and fennel seeds in a heavy bottomed small pan on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Careful not to burn. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and seeds into a small food processor bowl. Add the chili flakes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Process for 2 minutes until crumbly, add the chopped parsley and salt and continue processing until you you have a rough paste. Transfer the nut mixture to a bowl and then stir in the avocado oil and hazelnut oil and set aside.
Ladle the soup into individual bowls and swirl the desired amount of the chermoula onto the soup. Remember, this is a garnish, don’t over do it and then decorate your soup bowls with seasonal fresh herbs and edible flowers.
Developed by Anna Getty of Amalgam Kitchen.
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