Pear, Celeriac and Blue Cheese Soup

As I type this, I am lying on my bed, trackies on, thick, woolen jumper on and covered in my bed spread. All that is exposed are my arms and head (which are needed to type this post).

I feel that the time has come to make soup. I hope you are all on board with me on this.

I have had this particular soup bookmarked for some time and have been a little excited about getting the chance to make it. You see, this is the first soup that I have made this year and it is also the first time I have cooked with celeriac.

I think that celeriac would have to be one of the most (...how do I put it delicately?) aesthetically displeasing vegetables going around town. When I had them before me on the chopping board, the natural urge was to throw them out the window and use potatoes instead. They look like beasts!

I'll be honest with you, peeling them is akin to getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist - uncomfortable but necessary, and you know that you will be glad that you did it. It tastes like creamy, muted celery - yet so much better than celery. It's classier than celery. 

The other ingredients in this soup compliment the delicate flavour of the celeriac. Between the celeriac, blue cheese and pear, not one flavour stood out; they all mingled together in perfect harmony. Even the blue cheese joined the party, which was a relief as I thought it might be overwhelming. Flavour-wise, this would have to be one of the most sophisticated soups I have made. It would a great addition to a formal dinner party menu.

One of the things that disappointed me with the original recipe was that it asked for 300 mls of cream - a whole tub. Why must soup recipes that ask for cream demand so much of it? It is not as though it is an integral part of making the recipe work (like butter is to a cake for instance). I have noticed this with some pumpkin soup recipes too, the more cream you add, the more the other flavours are masked. I didn't want a whole tub of cream dousing the soiree going on in the Le Crueset.  

Granted, if there were no cream in this the colour wouldn't be as pure and it does give a silky mouth-feel - so I added enough to do just that. 

It would have been fine without it. 

So this is my first soup for the year and it is a most elegant soup at that. 

It should be said, however, that I didn't serve this at a formal dinner party (I will one day though), I didn't even eat it at the table that you see pictured below. I was in my ugg-boots, feet up, watching old Simpsons episodes. 

Yep - all class.  

Pear, Celeriac and Blue Cheese Soup
Adapted from this recipe at Gourmet Traveller

Makes around 3 litres of soup

Both the chopped Celeriac and Pear need to be rubbed with lemon juice to prevent browning.

• 1 tsp of Grape seed oil or any flavourless oil
• 100ml of verjuice
• 1 White Onion - finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic- peeled and bruised
• 1 litre of Chicken stock - Vegetable stock would be fine
• 2 Celeriac - peeled and roughly chopped
• 240g (about 2 medium) Potatoes - peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 ripe pears - peeled and roughly chopped
• 150g of creamy blue cheese plus extra as garnish
• 125g - approximately- of pouring cream
• Good quality extra virgin olive oil to serve
• Freshly grated nutmeg to serve
• Salt and white pepper

In the oil over a low to medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic until soft, be careful not to brown them for about 10 minutes. Add the verjuice and turn the heat up slightly for 2 minutes. Add the stock, celeriac and potatoes and bring to the boil. Season to taste. Reduce the heat to a low simmer for about 45 minutes or until the celeriac has softened. Take the soup off the heat to cool a little. 

Add the pear, cheese and cream (if you want) and blend until smooth (I used a stick blender). Strain through a course sieve. 

Serve topped with a little crumbled blue cheese, grated nutmeg and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.