Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Celery root can be intimidating to some, but this ugly duckling of the root vegetable family transforms into the most beautiful soup. For those who don’t like raw fennel, braising mellows it out and works perfectly with the apples. I leave the skin on the apples for texture and depth of flavor, but you can peel them if you wish. The ingredients for this soup can be found at many local farms in late fall through winter.

Serves 4–5

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb cut into 6–8 wedges (chop the fronds and reserve for garnish)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
6–8 sprigs fresh thyme
5–6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 leeks, roughly chopped, dark green tops discarded
2–3 pounds celery root, peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium apples, cored and roughly chopped
1⁄3 cup light cream

Heat the oil in a medium sized pot on medium-high heat. Add fennel and brown on both sides, about 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until the garlic turns golden brown and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add enough stock to just cover all the fennel. Add half a teaspoon of salt and a few grindings of pepper, stir and bring just to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 14–18 minutes.

Remove fennel, roughly chop and set aside. Scrape the leaves off the thyme into the stock and discard stems. Transfer the stock into a bowl or a measuring cup and wipe the pot clean.

Melt butter in the soup pot over medium heat. Add leeks and cook for 6–8 minutes, making sure not to brown them. Add celery root and apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all of the reserved broth and salt and pepper to taste. Bring just to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the celery root is tender, about 25–35 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, purée the soup, stir in the cream and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper. Garnish with the braised fennel and the fronds if you like and serve with warm, crusty bread.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2023 issue as part of a larger story on Farm to Table Cooking.