Celeriac and cumin soup with watercress

Posted by petra08 on January 17, 2018 · 20 Comments 

Another soup?! I am working my way through a variety of ingredients making lots of soups, keeping us warm in the cold winter.

The ground isn’t frozen so we can still pick vegetables from the allotment. There isn’t as much to pick as there is in the summer but the cabbage is looking amazing.

 

 

The fennel is still good for picking. It has a very intense flavor.

 

 

There is still curly kale, one of my favorites.

 

 

The celeriac isn’t as big as in the stores but absolutely delicious.

 

 

I didn’t like celery until just a few years ago and celeriac was never on my wish list. I would eat it but never choose it myself. Like and dislike for certain foods changes over the years so I always try what I think I am not so keen on and one day I realized that celery is absolutely delicious, and with that, also celeriac.

Celeriac is a humble vegetable that is just as good roasted, pureed or like here, in a soup. It is a filling ingredient and works well with all kinds of protein.

I wanted to add more flavor depth to the soup and started with Shaoxing rice wine. The soup needed slight acidity so I added rice wine vinegar and finally for a smooth, salty flavor I added fish sauce.

 

Celeriac and Cumin soup 

preparation time 10 minutes 

cooking time 15+20 minutes

serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1/2 celeriac, peeled and cubed
• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 10 dl or 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp Rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

Garnish (optional)

• fresh watercress leaves
• watercress oil
• a small pinch of cumin seeds

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they start “spluttering” add the onion. Turn the heat down and fry the onion soft but not brown.

Add the celeriac, potato, chicken stock, Shaoxing rice wine, rice wine vinegar and fish sauce. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.

Place the soup in the blender and blend until smooth.

 

Whilst the soup was simmering I cut thin slices of my beetroot and caraway bread, added slices of goats cheese and red onion and baked them until the cheese melted and started to caramelize.

 

When the soup is ready plate up and add leaves of watercress and watercress oil. Coriander, parsley or baby spinach would also be nice.

Add a sprinkle of cumin and serve.

 

 

I have a feeling that there are many more celeriac recipes to be discovered and cooked. if you have any please let me know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under Allotment/Veg, Amuse bouche, Bread, celeriac, Cheese, Goats cheese, Herbs, Main course, Recipe, Snack, Starch, Starter, Watercress · Tagged with Celeriac and cumin soup, Celeriac soup