Let's face it, mushroom soup conjures up thoughts of that gelatinous, condensed stuff your mom put in 1980's casseroles. This is NOT that soup! The leaves are falling, the air is chill, and the ingenious mixture of mushrooms and chestnuts make this a perfect comfort food. The addition of celeriac, yes - celery root, will blow you away! Never worked with celeriac? Never fear! If you've chopped a potato, you're ready to meet this tuber. Its ugly, I won't deny it, but it provides the perfect flavoring for this soup without the stringy texture you associate with actual celery. Simply cut the top and bottom and peel the skin to reveal a lovely firm, white root vegetable.
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| Celeriac (Celery Root) |
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| Chopped Celeriac |
On to the chestnuts. I use a bottled variety but have also used vacuum-packed in a box. Both varieties can be found in the baking section of most grocery stores. They don't taste great by themselves but add a nice richness to this soup.
Recipe Riff:
Alcohol: while this recipe calls for brandy in the soup and a grappa cream on top, I've made this many times without the alcohol and love the sober version.
Pancetta: substitute 4-6 slices of raw bacon, chopped
Shallots: substitute 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
Leave this soup a little chunky as the bits give a fabulous texture.
Serving:
Serve ith a sprig of thyme or sage leaf on top as mushroom soup can appear piqued by itself. Serve this soup as a first course to a chicken dinner or with a crusty loaf of bread and a lightly dressed green salad as a winter supper.
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