“I simply love celery root, and what should they be serving but celery root!”
Can you name that movie?
If you guessed ‘Emma,’ you’re right! Since seeing that movie some fifteen years ago, I’ve been curious about this root that Mr. Elton professed his love for. However, it wasn’t until recently that I got up the courage to try. I decided to go with a simple soup.
One thing that I wanted to use in the soup was Chinese 5-spice powder, which is a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds. I know that may sound like a strange addition, but celery and fennel are in the same family after all.
Now that I think about it, that really is a crazy choice for me. I’m not the biggest fan of fennel. In fact, I can’t stand it. What’s also crazy is that I like anise (another relative of the fennel family), but only in sweets such as pfeffernusse and black jellybeans. Yet this recipe has fennel and anise, yet it’s not a dessert. I also am not a big fan of celery.
I know, I’m a walking paradox, but stick with me here.
Celery root is much more mild, and less fibrous (which is the primary reason why I’m not a celery lover) than the regular celery. The 5-spices marry so well with the subtle celery flavor.
This recipe is simple, quick, and delicious. Now with Mr. Elton, I too can say, “I simply love celery root”.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- 2 medium celery root (about 2 lbs total), peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup So Delicious coconut milk, unsweetened
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 5-Spice powder, chili powder and sauté for 1 minute. Add celery root, sauté for another minute.
- Add broth, and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, and cook until celery root is tender, about 10 minutes. Puree soup in batches in a blender. Transfer back to pot and stir in coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Add more salt to taste (depends largely on how much salt is in the broth you use.)
This soup is simple, and fast and can be done in less than 30 minutes. I decided to enter it in the So Delicious Fast and Fresh Dairy-Free Time Trials Contest in the 30-minute category. What I like about this soup is that during the cooking time you don’t need to keep a watchful eye on it. That way I can get side dishes and cleanup done while it’s cooking.