Creamy Celeriac Apple Soup
Today we visit the deep ancient wilderness of Gorgrond, where we learn to make Celeriac Apple Soup from the awesome gnarly roots called celeriac. These are the roots of celery and are almost like potatoes in texture, which make them ideal winter soup vegetables. (These can often be found at farmers’ markets and are well worth seeking out!) Gorgrond is in the northern part of the world of Draenor and to get there we need to do a little time traveling – not a problem, we know a yellow dragon who owes us a time-travel favor. We are greeted upon arrival by a member of the Blackrock Orc clan who will guide us the rest of the way.
The inn is just a short dinosaur-ride along a sandstone path. We take it slowly to admire the scenery – giant red stone columns, hissing steam vents, coconut trees with leaves large enough to be used as tents, and bright colorful flowers. Cat-sized unfamiliar critters run alongside our mounts chittering to warn us away from their nests in the thorny vines that edge the path. The sky is clear and blue, with both moons visible even during the day. We hear plenty of bird calls, with a large animal or two roaring in the distance, echoing off the natural stone walls.
The dining area is marked by a bunch of heavy wooden posts with a fabric cover tied to them and tables below it – the breeze is crisp but refreshing. We take a table near the ledge of a cliff with a great viewpoint and plenty of fresh air.
Our hot celeriac apple soup arrives in wooden bowls, garnished with apple slices, toasted hazelnuts, and a sprinkle of freshly grated cheese. Soul-satisfying perfection. This is our spot to relax before maybe spending the afternoon hiking (with a guide and some bodyguards of course to keep the giant plant-monsters away). We can face a little danger for a good soup though, right?
Huge thanks to LB of The Vegucation Station for the recipe and for introducing me to celeriac! Also, shout out to Yellow Line Spoons for the adorable hand-carved spoon.
Creamy Celeriac Apple Soup
Equipment
- Large soup pot
- Blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock (or veggie)
- ½ to 1 celeriac cubed (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 2-3 potatoes cubed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- ¾ apple cubed (thinly slice the rest for serving)
- 1 medium yellow or white onion sliced
- 2-3 shallots sliced
- ½ to 1 head garlic roughly minced
- Salt & pepper a couple pinches
- ½ can coconut milk (SHAKE can before opening it)
- Handful of hazelnuts roughly chopped
- 2 cups crouton cubes PLAIN
- Oil salt & pepper, to taste
For serving:
- ¼ apple thinly sliced (as noted above)
- Parmesan or sharp cheddar finely shredded (for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a quart of stock to boil on the stove in a large soup pot.
- Add chopped celeriac, potatoes, and apples. Simmer on a low boil for about 20 minutes until very soft when smashed with a spoon. Remove from heat.
- MEANWHILE, heat up a pan with oil. Saute sliced onions and shallots on medium high with a lid for a couple of minutes, then remove the lid.
- Add garlic and a pinch of salt & pepper. Saute together until all are translucent and browned. Add this onion mixture into the soup pot with the root veggies.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to a smooth consistency (or transfer to blender and carefully blend in small batches). Stir in coconut milk.
- In your frying pan that’s still hot from the onions, toss in your bread cubes and toast with a couple good splashes of oil and some salt and pepper. Add hazelnuts when the bread is almost toasted, so they finish at the same time. Remove from heat.
- Serve soup topped with shredded cheese, hazelnut crunchies, and finely sliced apples.
