recipe goodness :: wild child broccoflower and celery root soup

Broccoflower Celery Root Soup

I recently tried a soup from food52’s Genius Recipe series that promised preparation simplicity with unsuspected flavor complexity. The soup only has three main ingredients, one of which is water, with the other two being cauliflower and onion. Immediate reaction: plain peasant soup? But if you trust in Paul Bertolli {of Chez Panisse and Oliveto}, you will quickly realize the genius in this preparation creates a smooth, slightly sweet, creamy blend you would swear had a fair dose of artery-damaging cream. It does not.

So after making and happily consuming several batches of Paul’s cauliflower soup, I decided to apply his technique to other favorite wintry veg and see if the results were equally outstanding. Enter the wild child broccoflower — an offspring of the marriage between broccoli and cauliflower, it has the subtle broccoli flavor with the hearty cauliflower architecture. I decided to also throw in some celery root for it’s unique flavor that I thought would add an additional brightness to the bowl. Result? Success round two.

Bright Green Broccoflower

Wild Child Broccoflower and Celery Root Winter Soup

Adapted from Paul Bertolli’s Cauliflower Soup | Serves 8

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 head broccoflower, broken into florets
1 celery root bulb, peeled and sliced thinly
Salt to taste
6 cups water, divided
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.
2. Add the broccoflower, celery root, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
3. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency {or use an immersion blender in the pot, being careful not to let hot soup splash onto you}. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.
4. Thin the soup with 1/2-1 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Steam the Broccoflower Florets and Celery Root

Brrrrrrrring on Other Warming Wintry Dishes:
Best Butternut Squash and Green Apple Soup
Grandma’s Italian Wedding Chicken Soup
Braised Grass-Fed Beef Brisket and Polenta
Irish Steak & Guinness Puff Pastry Pie