Creamy Celeriac Soup

I was recently able to visit my friends who run Six River Farm in Maine, where spring is just beginning and a few roadside banks of melting snow remained. Though they are able to sell produce year round, the selection is more limited than their summer and fall abundance as the outdoor growing season is just getting started. However, I was able to bring home greens including spring mix, spinach, cabbage and kale and root vegetables including carrots, potatoes and one of my favorites, celeriac. I have featured celeriac before, purée with carrots and I continue to cook with this often-overlooked root vegetable. Roasting the celeriac for the soup creates a rich and well-balanced flavor, allowing few ingredients to be used for a simple creamy soup, especially delicious with an arugula and orange or beet and goat cheese salad.

For a vegan alternative, olive oil and water may be used in place of butter and cream.

2 medium celeriac roots, peeled and roughly chopped into 2" pieces

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 tbsp butter

2 c water

¼ c cream

salt and pepper

olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the celeriac with enough olive oil to coat, toss and spread on a roasting sheet. Place the celeriac in the oven and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Once the celeriac is golden brown and tender, remove from the oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Continue sautéing, adding the roasted celeriac and water, cover the soup and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove the soup from heat and cool slightly before blending.

3. Place the soup in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add cream and continue blending, adding small amounts of water as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Vegetarian Borscht

Beets were initially domesticated along the Mediterranean for their edible leaves and later for their sweet colorful roots. Though borscht may be served hot or cold, spelled any number of ways and made with a great variety of ingredients, the essential ingredient of borscht is beet. Borscht originated in Eastern Europe, likely in the Ukraine where the greatest number of variations on the soup are found and was predominately a peasant dish as beets were inexpensive. Eastern European and Middle Eastern immigrants introduced borscht into American cuisine and it continues to be a commonly served soup. Borscht is delicious served with a leek galette and arugula salad.

4 medium beets

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 stalks celery, trimmed and roughly chopped

1 medium onion, trimmed and roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 sprig rosemary

1 sprig parsley

1 sprig oregano

3 tbsp butter

3-4 c water

salt and pepper

sour cream

parsley

1. In a large pot and steamer basket, steam beets until tender, 30-45 minutes. Peel beets while still warm and roughly chop. Set beets aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large heavy bottomed pot, heat butter over medium low heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot and herbs. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes.

3. Once vegetables are tender, add steamed beets and 3 c water. Return to a simmer, remove from heat and cool slightly. Using a blender, food processor or immersion blender, purée ingredients until smooth, adding additional water as desired.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sour cream and fresh parsley as desired. Serve borscht warm, room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4

Pea Soup with Mint

Vegetable purées make a perfect summer soup as they can easily be served at any temperature, as a meal on their own or in addition to other dishes or courses. When making puréed soups it is important to not overcook the ingredients to maintain their color, flavor and overall integrity. Peas have been cultivated by humans for thousands of years and continue to be a widely consumed vegetable. Puréed peas turn into a rich and creamy vibrant green base for a fresh and simple summer soup. Minted pea soup requires little preparation, holds up well in the fridge for a few days and can be served warm, room temperature or chilled. Pea soup is delicious with leek galette or brown rice fritters.

To make the soup vegan, simply omit the butter. Frozen peas work just as well as fresh.

For Nicholas, who requested a pea soup recipe.

4 c peas, fresh or frozen

1 large white onion, trimmed and diced

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp fresh mint

water

salt and pepper

1. Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Next, place peas in pot and stir to combine with onions. Add water until peas are covered and bring to a simmer. If using frozen peas, turn heat off after water reaches a simmer. If using fresh peas, simmer peas until they are just cooked, 3-5 minutes, and remove from heat.

3. Place cooked ingredients and liquid in a food processor and thoroughly combine. Add mint and additional water as desired, thoroughly process into a smooth purée. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve fresh pea soup warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes about 4 cups

Strawberry Mango Sticky Rice

Strawberry season is in full swing and signs announcing fresh strawberries are everywhere right now, at small roadside stands, pick-your-own fields and farmers markets. I find passing up ripe strawberries particularly difficult, as they easily sell themselves with their bright juicy red exterior, so naturally I wanted to cook with them. I decided to use them alongside mango for sticky rice coconut topping, as mangos and strawberries compliment each other in a beautifully delicious way. Making sticky rice at home eluded me for many years, as it seemed complicated and I lacked the appropriate tools. Sticky rice is a short-grained rice from Southeast Asia with high amounts of amylopectin, responsible for the sticky quality of the rice. However, after finding the proper rice and researching different cooking methods, I found it was possible to simulate the bamboo steamer used in Thailand with a steamer basket and cheesecloth. Sticky rice has since become a frequent dish I have on hand for a dessert, breakfast or snack.

Sticky rice is commonly sold as sweet rice, though different from brown sweet rice, and can be found at specialty stores, larger grocery stores or Asian markets. Frozen fruit can be substituted for fresh fruit, depending upon availability.

1 c sticky rice

1 ripe mango, peeled and seeded

5 ripe strawberries, tops removed

1 can coconut milk

½ c sugar

1. Place rice in a mixing bowl and fill bowl with water. Allow rice to soak for 12-24 hours. Place a steamer basket into a pot; add water up to the steamer basket and line basket with cheesecloth. Drain rice, evenly place rice on cheesecloth, cover and bring water to a boil. Steam rice until tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove rice from heat, place cooked rice in a bowl and set aside.

2. Finely dice a strawberry and a small mango segment, set diced fruit aside. Combine coconut milk, sugar and remaining fruit in a food processor. Thoroughly combine into a smooth purée.

3. To serve, place ½ c rice in a bowl and spoon coconut purée over rice. Garnish with diced fruit and brown or raw sugar. Serve immediately at room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Butternut Squash Purée with Nutmeg

Butternut squash is still one of my favorite squashes because it maintains its rich orange color after cooking and has a sweet creamy flavor. Nutmeg pairs well with squash, especially creamy squash such as butternut, due to the mild background squash provides for the strong flavor of nutmeg. Nutmeg comes from the Myristica fragrans, an evergreen nutmeg tree from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, which provides both nutmeg, the seed and mace, the seed's aril or covering. Though I think of fall and winter too, butternut squash purée reminds me of spring because it is bright in color and light in taste. I like to pair this purée with orange pecan kale, wheat berry salad or blue potatoes and use it as a pizza topping with goat cheese and caramelized onions.

Milk may be used in place of cream. A larger or smaller squash may be used with slight quantity adjustments to the other ingredients.

1 1.5-2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½" cubes

2 tbsp butter

¼ c cream

¼ tsp nutmeg, grated

salt and pepper

1. Place cubed squash in a steamer basket over a pot with water up to the basket. Cover and steam until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove squash from heat and place steamed squash in food processor.

2. Add cream, butter and nutmeg to squash and purée until smooth, adding more cream as necessary to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve squash purée warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Coconut Pumpkin Purée

Although pumpkins are likely the best-known squash grown in the States and a versatile ingredient for cooking, we seem to associate them with only Halloween or Thanksgiving and a limited amount of dishes. Pumpkins are believed to have originated in the Americas and are now grown around the world. I like using pumpkin because it works well in both sweet and savory recipes. Pumpkin purée accompanies orange pecan kale and blue potatoes.

Olive or vegetable oil could easily be used instead of coconut oil. I roasted the pumpkin but other methods of cooking would work as well. The amount of coconut milk may vary depending upon preference.

4 c cooked pumpkin

1 medium yellow onion, trimmed and roughly chopped

2 tbsp coconut oil

½ c coconut milk

salt and pepper

1. Heat coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, sauté until translucent and remove from heat.

2. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Shallot Mashed Carrots

At times carrots seem so ubiquitous in cooking that they seem to take a sideline more than center stage, being one of many ingredients instead of the main ingredient. I find carrots can serve both roles better than most other vegetables because they have a sweet mild flavor and a beautiful color. I do not often think of carrots as creamy, but when they are mashed and real cream is added they certainly are able to become a rich and creamy side dish with a perfect orange hue. I like mashed carrots with green beans or blue potatoes.

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds

¼ c cream

1 tbsp butter

1 large shallot, finely diced

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper

1. Steam carrots over boiling water until tender. Once tender, remove carrots from heat and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add parsley, continue sautéing for another minute off heat.

3. Combine sautéed shallots, cream and carrots in food processor. Combine ingredients until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve carrots warm or hot.

Serves 3-4

Mustard Green Soup with Ginger and Bacon

Dark leafy greens seem very fitting for winter, particularly where little green is to be found outside. I appreciate greens for the colors and flavors they offer to dishes made with them. Mustard greens are an especially flavorful variety of leafy greens and so are able to be watered down into a soup while maintaining their taste. I likely was inspired by Asian cuisine with the combination of mustard greens, bacon and ginger. Roasted bell peppers and sesame rice are great entrées with mustard green soup.

Bacon provides the most flavor, though butter or olive oil may easily be used as a substitute. A blender may be used instead of a food processor.

1 bunch of mustard greens, chopped

1 yellow onion, trimmed and chopped

1 medium carrot, trimmed and chopped

1 stalk celery, trimmed and chopped

1 c chicken or vegetable stock

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

2 strips of bacon, thinly sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

water

salt and pepper

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and brown. Once bacon has browned, add olive oil, onion, carrot and celery, sautéing vegetables until tender. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add garlic, ginger and mustard greens, continue simmering until greens are tender and brilliant green, 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.

2. Next, combine ingredients from pot into food processor. Blend ingredients until smooth.

3. Finally, return ingredients to pot and add water ½ c at a time until desired soup consistency has been attained. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve the soup room temperature or hot.

Serves 3-4

Celeriac Purée

Celeriac seems to be one of the more commonly overlooked root vegetables, which is a shame because it is one of the more delicious roots we eat. I find it to be nice to cook with because it has a creamy texture and a milder celery flavor, so it is an easy replacement for celery in many dishes. Although the exterior may be a bit intimidating, generally celeriac is fairly easy to trim with pairing knives and peelers. Celeriac is also known as celery root or turnip-celery root. Celeriac purée accompanies many other dishes well, including feta roasted potatoes and stuffed bell peppers, due to its rich and creamy celery flavor.

This purée can easily be made vegan by substituting the remaining steaming water and olive oil for the dairy. An immersion blender or regular blender will also work to purée the ingredients together.

1 lb celeriac, peeled and roughly chopped

½ lb carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tbsp butter

½ c whole milk

¼ fresh thyme

salt and pepper

1. Steam celeriac and carrots until soft, 20-30 minutes. Once vegetables are soft, remove from heat and place in a food processor.

2. Next, add butter and milk to the vegetables and purée until mixture is smooth. Add thyme and purée for a few seconds more until combined.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. May be served warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Roasting is one of my favorite methods of preparation, especially when the weather is cooler as it both warms the house and smells deliciously of fall. I find roasting squash is an easy way to both prepare it, because little work is involved, and a good way to enhance the flavor of any given recipe, especially those that have few ingredients. I like to roast squash until it may easily be pierced with a knife, its skin separates from the flesh and its surface begins to caramelize. I like butternut squash soup with pasties or stuffed bell peppers.

Other squash varieties may be used instead of or in addition to butternut. Any fairly tart apple will work well. I topped my soup with sour cream, fried shallots and sautéed scallions.

1 1b butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and roughly cut

1 medium yellow onion, trimmed and roughly cut

1 large carrot, peeled, trimmed and roughly cut

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil plus additional to rub squash

water

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425. Rub squash with some olive oil and place in oven face side up. Roast squash until tender and slightly browned, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove flesh from skin, place in mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add butter and olive oil, once melted add carrots, onions and apples. Stir occasionally, remove from heat when carrots are tender.

3. Purée squash with about ½ c water until smooth. Add squash to a large pot. Purée carrots, onions and apples with about ½ c water until smooth. Add to puréed squash.

4. Using a whisk, combine both purées and slowly add water until soup reaches desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, plain or with desired toppings.

Serves 3-4