Leek and Celery Root Soup - A comfort food on a cold day

It's my first time making smooth silky soup and with this ugly beast -celery root. I know I'm lame. With chilly weather, warm soup comes first on the dinner menu list at my house. The weather sucks and I need something to comfort me. I've been wanting to make smooth soup and work with root produce. I guess this is the time - (just do it, T!). With busy schedules that took all my time and energy away from cooking, I finally overcame it and realized how much I missed cooking. It's worth it. I love it. The soup is surprisingly flavorful with a few ingredients. Nothing is new in this recipe but a classic is a good comfort food.

Celery Root

Celery root has a celery flavor, and is often used as a flavoring in soups and stews; it can also be used on its own. The appearance is ugly but the inside is white or off-white - like apple mixed with potato.

Leek has a mild onion-like taste, and is less bitter than scallion. The taste might be described as a mixture of mild onion and cucumber, with a fresh smell similar to scallion. In its raw state, the vegetable is crunchy and firm.

I changed and added a few ingredients. Feel free to tweak this to suit your taste buds.

Leek and Celery Root Soup
Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients:
2 leeks, (use only white and light green part) halved, cleaned, and thinly sliced crosswise.
2 medium celery roots, peeled, cubed
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
Salt and pepper
Heavy cream
Creme fraiche or sour cream
Chopped chive
White truffle oil (optional)

Blender and big pot

Directions:

• Heat up large sauce pan over high heat. Add butter and oil.
• Add leeks and onion. Cook until onion is translucent and leeks are getting brown.
• Add chopped celery root. Cook for a few mins. Add 1 cup of chicken stock. Cover and cook for about 20-30 mins until celery root is cooked through. During this process, if the liquid is evaporated, keeps adding stock or water.
• Season with salt and pepper
• Let it cool a bit before transferring to blender
• When it's not too hot, blend it in a blender and adding cream to your desire of thickness until the soup is smooth.
• Correct seasonings
• Pour in prepared bowls or glasses. Drop a spoonful of creme fraiche and chives on top. If using truffle oil, drop a few on soup before serving.

Note: This can be served hot or cold. It can be kept in the fridge for a few days.

The soup after some has already transferred to a blender

You can serve it as dinner with toasts

Or serve it in a glass shot for appetizer