Ingredients

Method

• 2 large celeriac, stems and leaves intact
• 1 onion, skinned and chopped
• 3 T butter
• 500 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 slices country loaf, for serving
• 200 g Gruyère, finely sliced

Method

Ingredients

Peel and roughly chop the celeriac (store submerged in water, with lemon juice added, if you want to retain its pale colour). Finely chop the stems and leaves, reserving some leaves for sprinkling.
In a large saucepan over a medium to low heat, gently sauté the onion and chopped stems and leaves in the butter until softened. Add the cubed potatoes and stir around.
Pour in the stock, add the bay leaf, then season to taste and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf, then blend until thick and smooth – if the soup seems too thick, thin it down with more stock, milk or even cream.
Top the bread generously with the cheese and slide under a grill until melted and golden. Sprinkle the soup with the finely chopped reserved celery leaves and serve with the grilled cheese croutons on the side.

Cook’s notes: Enrich this soup with cream and top the bread with sliced smoked sausage instead of cheese, if you prefer. Use olive oil instead of butter if you’d rather cut out animal fat.

Per serving: 1841.5 kJ, 18 g protein, 19 g fat, 47 g carbs