The Perfect Fall Soup: Celeriac, Leek and Potato Soup

     Oh so creamy, without an ounce of cream! Can you believe it? Well I can!

     This recipes features one of the so called 'monsters' of the garden -- Celeriac. Celeriac is gnarly looking root vegetable that can get to about the size of your head. Typically this veg is harvested late in the fall, after the first soft frost, but before a hard frost (just in case you feel like growing some yourself next year!). Celeriac is a really cool root, also known as celery root, it has the texture of a potato but tastes like the most delicious celery imaginable! We cut one up raw on the rooftop garden the other day, and it was amazing! So don't let the crazy appearance dissuade you from picking a celeriac up from your local market or grocer.

     I've been waiting to cook up this soup all season! Ever since I saw the roots sticking out from under what I originally mistook as celery. Through in some Rye's HomeGrown leeks, garlic and my last couple potatoes, and we have the makings for a delicious soup. The hardest part of making this soup is cutting up the celeriac, once that's done, it's smooth sailing. Spice up this soup a bit with some pesto or an herb oil.

Serves: 8

Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 celeriac, peeled and cubed
• 2 large (4 small) leeks, white and light green only, roughly chopped 
• 2 large white or russet potatoes, peeled and chopped 
• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• Black pepper and salt to taste 

Preparation

1. In a large, thick bottomed soup pot, heat oil on medium heat with the bay leaf.
2. Add celeriac, leek, potato and garlic. Let sweat for about 10 minutes.
3. Add vegetable broth. Cover, increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until celeriac is tender.
4. Let cool for 20-30 minutes. Remove bay leaf, and blend soup in blender (may need to to blend in batches). If I have to blend in batches, and I know that there is going to be left overs, I usually put the first batch into Tupperware containers for tomorrow night's dinner.
5. After blended, return the soup to the pot, and warm over medium heat, for about 20 minutes, or until warm.
6. Serve will a dollop of pesto or a couple drops of an herb oil.

Red Potato Salad

Big fans of garlic here! big fans. The first few times we made this recipe, or a more pungent version, we woke up tasting it. Not exactly the kind of properties you want in a potato salad. No worries, we've scaled it down 3 or 4 cloves :). 

The perfect accompagniment to a burger or
marinated tofu with a side of sautéed greens

If there is one thing I've learned when using raw garlic in cold dishes, it is to let it sit before adding more garlic or serving. As a salad or a sauce sits, the garlic flavours intensifies. So, whenever using raw garlic, taste and season before and after refrigerating. 

By letting the oil, garlic and
herbs sit for a while, the oil
absorbs the flavour of all the
 fresh ingredients, making for
a tastier salad

Ingredients

• 10 medium red potatoes, cut into large chunks 
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp red onion, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as my favourite, thyme
• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
• 1tsp sea salt* + extra to taste
• 4 Tbsp white wine vinegar 

Preparation

1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook potatoes for about 10 minutes, until just cooked. 
2. While potatoes are cooking, in a medium mixing bowl combine 1/4 cup olive oil with garlic, onion, salt and herbs (see picture aside).  PRO TIP: Slice the garlic in half, prior to mincing and remove the very center structure of the garlic. This little nubbin gives the garlic that spicy sulfurous property, and as tasty as it is, it can leave you tasting like garlic for hours.
3. When potatoes are ready, rinse with cold water in a colander then toss in mixing bowl with garlicky mixture. 
4. At this point add the vinegar, and more oil and salt as needed. 
5. Refrigerate until cooled. Adjust seasoning as needed. 
6. Serve and dig in!

* fun fact: Although health Canada has rules that all " table" or household marketed salts need to be iodized, many salts, including, but not limited to, finishing salts and sea salts tend to not be iodized. So, take a look at the labels before you buy your sea salts. Although goitre isn't that common in Canada or the US, those not consuming adequate amounts of iodine, especially the elderly can be at higher risk of mild or moderate iodine deficiency, and thus goitre.