Celeriac Bisque with a Herby Swirl and Sumac Croutons
Make this recipe vegetarian by swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth and go vegan by nixing the cream. This soup fills the bill as alight dinner or lunch accompanied by a sharply dressed green salad, but it also works great in a demitasse or shot glass as an amuse bouche for your Thanksgiving meal.Serves 2 generously as a main course, or 8 as an amuse bouche.
Ingredients
For the bisque
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
- Kosher salt (like Diamond Crystal)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium celery root peeled and diced in ½-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup dry white wine (optional)
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the herby swirl
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup chopped mixed soft green herbs (dill, mint, basil, cilantro, etc.)
- ½–1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup olive oil (if you’ve got some fancy olive oil, this is the place to use it)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the croutons
- 2–3 thick slices sturdy day-old bread torn into irregular chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground sumac (or cumin)
Notes
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter becomes slightly foamy. Add onion, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until the onion is translucent on the edges, about 3 minutes. Add celeriac and continue to cook until softened on the edges but doesn’t brown, about 5 minutes. If the vegetables begin to color, turn down the heat.
Add the wine, if using, and cook for 2–3 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. Add the broth and bring soup to a simmer; turn down heat, cover and cook at a gentle simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15–20 minutes. When vegetables are soft, use an immersion blender to blend the soup smooth. (Alternately, transfer the soup to a blender, taking great care to remove the center piece from the blender’s lid and cover it with a dish towel to avoid a bisque volcano.) Transfer the soup back to the saucepan.
For the herby swirl, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water. Taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper, cumin and lemon juice to taste. Set aside.
Now make the croutons: Heat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, toss bread with olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and sumac. Bake on a lined sheet tray for 10–12 minutes, or until toasty, tossing once. Set aside.
Just before serving, gently stir the heavy cream into the bisque, reheating but making sure it doesn’t boil. Ladle the bisque into bowls, drizzle each bowl with 1–2 tablespoons herby swirl and top with croutons.
