Celeriac and potato soup with crunchy buckwheat, almond and paprika topping

Name: Celeriac and potato soup with crunchy buckwheat, almond and paprika topping
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 3-4 (makes 6 cups)
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 leek, white part only, finely sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely diced; 1 brown onion, diced; 1 celeriac (about 900g) trimmed, peeled and cut into rough chunks; 400g potato, peeled, roughly chopped; 500ml (2 cups) white wine; 500ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock; 250g creme fraiche

Katrina Meynink

July 3, 2020

Celeriac and potato soup with crunchy buckwheat, almond and paprika topping.Katrina Meynink

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:3-4 (makes 6 cups)

This soup is so rich and velvety. Heavenly, really. And the buckwheat and almond topping is all things tart and crunch to balance everything out in terms of texture and contrast. This topping is a riff on a Bon Appetit recipe. So lemony and nutty, it's a really brilliant cut through of the richness of the celeriac and I can't recommend it enough.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 brown onion, diced
1 celeriac (about 900g) trimmed, peeled and cut into rough chunks
400g potato, peeled, roughly chopped
500ml (2 cups) white wine
500ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
250g creme fraiche

Topping

½ tbsp olive oil
1 tsp butter
80g (½ cup) smoked almonds, roughly crushed
3 tbsp buckwheat kernels, toasted
½ tbsp sweet smoked paprika
½ tsp brown sugar
½ lemon, juiced

Method

Step 1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leek, garlic and onion. Reduce the heat to low and sweat the mixture for five minutes or until soft and translucent.
Step 2
Add the celeriac and potato pieces and continue to cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent edges from taking on too much colour. Add the wine and stock, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the celeriac and potato is soft. Remove from heat and using a stick blender or blender, blitz to combine. Season with salt and pepper then whisk through the creme fraiche. Set aside, covered while you make the topping.
Step 3
To make the topping add the olive oil and butter to a frypan. Place over medium heat and once foaming, add the almonds and buckwheat kernels. Cook for 30 seconds or until you detect a nutty aroma. Add the smoked paprika and brown sugar and cook until the nuts and kernels are coated in the mixture and you are really getting that nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and squeeze over the lemon juice.
Step 4
Divide soup between serving bowls and scatter the nutty topping evenly to serve.