This leek and celery root soup makes an excellent dinner party or cocktail party appetizer. Who doesn't love a sip of hot soup on a cold winter evening.
Greet your guests with a tray of these little two ounce sips of hot leek and celery root soup to warm them up. These little soups would be such a nice surprise, wouldn't they?
This soup is so refined and elegant and would make a wonderful first impression to welcome guests to your gathering.
Plus, the soup is easy to make with very little prep, and lends itself well for making one to two days in advance.
If we weren't trying to be elegant, we could call these leek and celery root shooters!
Ingredients in this Soup:
Butter - You can use salted or unsalted and adjust the salt to taste.
Leeks - Use the white and light green parts. If you're not familiar with them, they are part of the onion family and look like really, really fat green onions.
Yellow or Brown Onion
Soup Base - I used some salt as well as some Chicken Better Than Bouillon. You can skip the soup base or use the vegetable base and you will still have a delicious soup.
Celery Root - Also known as celeriac. It's a gnarly looking big bulb that is more plentiful in winter. If you can't find it, you can substitute a big turnip, daikon radish, or jicama, each with a pinch of celery seeds. You can also throw in some parsley with the substitute ingredients to help replicate the celery root flavor.
Crème Fraiche - For garnish.
Chopped Chives - Also for garnish.
You can serve these little soups in a glass for sipping, or with a spoon if you prefer. If you have the cups that come with a punch bowl, they would be perfect.
I had these amuse bouche glasses I picked up at Home Goods that also worked well for serving this soup as an appetizer.
Leeks are so delicious in soup. They are wonderful paired with potatoes for a humble Irish potato leek soup, as well as chunky vegetable soups.
What to serve with this leek and celery root soup?
Champagne of course! Plus lots of savory nibbles such as Cheddar and Pecan Crisps or Sourdough Crackers.
This month, the Soup Saturday Swappers are posting recipes for elegant soups. Our host is Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Be sure to check out everyone's "elegant" soups.
- Sneha’s Recipe: Cheeseburger Soup for One
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Creamy Leek Soup with Shoestring Potatoes
- Making Miracles: French Onion Potato Soup
- Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Leek and Celery Root Soup
- Pandemonium Noshery: Pear and Blue Cheese Soup
- Palatable Pastime: Shrimp in Tomato Saffron Broth
Leek and Celery Root Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 medium leeks, white and light green parts, sliced lengthwise and thinly sliced widthwise, washed and rinsed
- 1 yellow or brown onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
- Fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 5 cups water, divided
- 1 1/2 pound celery root (see comments above in the post regarding substitutes)
- 2 teaspoons soup base such as Better than Bouillon, optional
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the leeks and onions, and large pinch of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. The ingredients should be soft and lightly golden.
- While the leeks and onions are cooking, peel the celery root with a knife and cut it into matchstick sized pieces.
- Add the celery root to the pan, along with a teaspoon of the salt and 1 cup of water. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add 4 cups of water, a teaspoon of salt, and the optional soup base. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- With an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, puree in a blender in batches.
- Mix the crème fraîche with the heavy cream and set aside while the soup is cooking.
- Ladle the soup into small glasses, top with a spoonful of the crème fraîche mixture, some black pepper, and chopped chives.
- Make ahead: Once the soup is cooked, refrigerate overnight and serve, reheated, the next day.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
55.24Fat (grams)
4.52 gSat. Fat (grams)
2.80 gCarbs (grams)
3.55 gFiber (grams)
0.59 gNet carbs
2.96Sugar (grams)
0.72 gProtein (grams)
0.69 gSodium (milligrams)
99.33 mgCholesterol (grams)
12.74 gThis recipe was inspired by Fine Cooking Appetizers, published in 2009.
Not only do these sound AMAZING - that color is just so very pretty. Love the way you served these!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteThe short glass serving they looks so pretty and tantalizing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to serve little shooters as appetizers during the holiday season. I have done this but normally with cold soups during the summer. So smart Karen.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you like the idea!
DeleteI made these for a small gathering and served them in little cordial glasses like you had, it was the perfect hot, sipping appetizer! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for letting me know!! xoxo.
DeleteThat's a lovely way to serve! The soup sounds very flavorful!
ReplyDelete