Harvest in a Bowl

By Wolfgang Puck, Tribune Media Services

(PLEASE NOTE THE accent aigu on the "E" in "sauté"; The accent aigu on the first "E" of "puree"; the accent grave on the first "E" in crème of "creme fraiche"; and the circumflex on the "I" in fraiche of "creme fraiche"

Everybody knows celery. Its crisp green stalks make a refreshing, crunchy snack. Sliced or chopped, it's delicious raw in salads. And, when cooked in soups, stews and braises, celery is a fundamental aromatic, subtly contributing to the flavor profile of so many savory dishes.

By comparison, celery's close cousin, celeriac, is almost unknown in North America, though I ate a lot of it growing up in Austria. Also called celery root, celeriac is grown specifically for its large, knobby root, as big as a softball. After the thick, fibrous peel is removed, the ivory-colored flesh may be enjoyed raw as a salad, usually shredded and tossed with a dressing. The root may also be cut into larger pieces and cooked until tender, enjoyed in chunks or pureed as a soup or side vegetable.

What's celeriac's appeal? While the flavor is similar to celery's, celeriac tastes stronger, with a satisfying earthiness. And its texture is closer to those of other roots like carrots, turnips or even potatoes.

We're now entering celeriac's peak of season. Like many roots, it keeps well in cold cellar storage throughout autumn and winter.

With the growing interest across America in fresh seasonal foods, it's high time celeriac gained more attention. Look for it in well-stocked supermarkets and farmers' markets. Select roots that are firm and free of obvious cuts, blemishes or mold; smaller roots with fewer small rootlets will have a better texture and need less laborious peeling. When you get the root home, store it loosely wrapped in plastic in your refrigerator's vegetable cooler, and use within a week.

To peel celeriac, use a small, sharp knife. Always cutting away from yourself and working on a nonslip surface, peel it thickly, slicing down through the tough, sometimes fibrous surface to the more tender, ivory flesh.

One of best ways I know to enjoy celeriac is pureed in a soup. I like to combine it with another favorite autumn ingredient, apples, whose sweet, fruity, slightly acidic flavor is the perfect complement. My favorite choice for the recipe is the Fuji apple, a Japanese variety that has grown enormously in popularity since it was introduced just over half a century ago. It has a great balance of sweetness, fruitiness and acidity. Granny Smith apples are another excellent choice.

Since the soup will have a fairly pale color, I like to brighten it up by adding some celery leaves to the purée at the last minute. I also garnish each serving with a dice of sautéed celery, carrot, leek and apple. If you like, you can also include some diced ham or crispy bacon, as well as a swirl of crème fraîche. Make the soup your own, and enjoy celeriac often.

CELERY ROOT AND FUJI APPLE SOUP

Makes 8 to 10 servings

SOUP

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 pounds (1 kg) celery root, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 Fuji apples, quartered, cored and coarsely chopped

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 cups (500 ml) white wine

4 cups (1 l) good-quality canned chicken broth

2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream

1 cup (250 ml) coarsely chopped celery leaves

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

GARNISH

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) dice

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) dice

1 large leek, white part only, thoroughly washed and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) dice

1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine

1 medium Fuji apple, quartered, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) dice

First, start the soup. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the celery root, apples, onion, garlic and parsley, and sauté just until glossy, about 30 seconds.

Add the wine, raise the heat, and bring to a boil; continue boiling until the liquid reduces by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the cream, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for about 1 hour.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the garnish. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot and leek, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and stir and scrape to dissolve the pan deposits. Set aside to cool.

Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, transfer the cooked soup to a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade and process until pureed, taking care and following manufacturer's instructions to avoid splattering. Place a fine-meshed sieve over a large mixing bowl and pour the pureed soup into the sieve, pressing it through with a rubber spatula. Discard any solids left in the strainer.

Return the pureed and strained soup to the processor and add the celery leaves. Process at high speed until thoroughly combined. Return to the saucepan and reheat gently for several minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into heated soup bowls and scatter the garnish, including the apple dices, over each serving. Serve immediately.