Celery Root and Apple Soup

I must admit, the thought of celery root soup made me go, bleh!  I pretty much see celery as a utensil for peanut butter and ranch dressing.  And I struggle to think of anything that improves with the addition of it.  But, I received my weekly shipment of organic vegetables and inside was a celery root.  What was I supposed to do with it?  It didn't look very appetizing and it smelled pretty strongly like celery.  This recipe was included with the vegetables, and I figured I could either try it, or let the celery root rot in the bottom of the fridge. The fact that I actually spent time debating these two options tells you how little I care for celery.  So, imagine my delight when this soup turned out so good.  I didn't even have the pancetta that the recipe called for (which I assumed was to mask the celery taste), and still I loved it.  I will definitely be making this again.  The granny smith apples gave it a little bit of tang and a subtle bit of sweetness, and the celery flavor lingered just slightly in the background.  Topped off with some chives, and it all came together beautifully; no peanut butter or ranch dressing needed!          

From Bon Appetit
yield: Makes 6 servings


(NOTE: I skipped the pancetta, and rather than making the chive oil, I just topped the soup with chopped chives.  It was wonderful, and cutting those steps made this super quick and easy.)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled celery root (from one 1 1/4-pound celery root)
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled cored apples (Granny Smith work best) (from about 2-3 medium)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
Pinch of salt
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon)

Preparation
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add celery root, apples, and onion. Cook until apples and some of celery root are translucent (do not brown), stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups broth. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer covered until celery root and apples are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency. Return soup to pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.

Puree chives, grapeseed oil, and pinch of salt in blender until smooth.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange pancetta slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until pancetta is browned and crispy, about 18 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble pancetta. DO AHEAD: Chive oil and pancetta can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Rewarm soup over medium heat. Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle pancetta crumbles over each serving. Drizzle each bowl with chive oil.