Have you ever tried Celery Root (Celeriac)? You usually see these ugly duckling looking round gnarly bulbs in the vegetable section. I was curious to see what I could make with them. They are surprisingly sweet, not celery tasting at all! You’ll definitely become a fan after making this warming, satisfying soup!

For the Soup:

• 1 cup sliced yellow or white onion
• ¼ cup sliced celery
• ¼ cup thinly sliced leek (white and light green parts only)
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 1 TB)
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 2-½ cups (about 12 oz) diced celery root (peeled, then diced to ½” pieces)
• ½ cup peeled and chopped Idaho Potato 
• 2-3 Bosc Pears, peeled , cored and cut into medium dice (about 1 cup), and set aside.
  Reserve peeled skin and leftover flesh reserved in a small bowl.
• 4-½ cups Vegetable stock, or other no-salt vegetable stock
• Bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 5 sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs thyme, wrapped together in
  cheesecloth and tied with kitchen string)
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
  
  

For the Caramelized Pears:

• 2 TB honey
• 1 Rosemary sprig
• 1 TB balsamic vinegar
  

Make the Soup:

1- Warm a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add onions, celery and leeks, and sauté for 2 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pot for 2 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook, stirring from time to time, for about 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent, but not browned. Add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable stock, if needed, to prevent vegetables from sticking to the pot. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in celery root, potatoes, pear skin and leftover flesh scraps, vegetable stock and bouquet garni. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Season with white pepper, stir, reduce heat, and cover. Cook at a simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

2- Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, reserving the solids and liquid separately. Discard the bouquet garni.
Working in batches, place the solids in a blender or food processor and puree, adding some of the liquid until the mixture is thick and smooth. Transfer the puree to a bowl.
Slowly stir in any remaining stock until the soup attains a thick, creamy consistency. You should have about 6 cups of soup.

3- Taste, and add lemon juice to brighten the flavors and add more white pepper to taste. Set aside, and cover, to keep warm.

Make the Caramelized Pears:

1- Pour the honey into a small saucepan and warm it over medium-high heat until it bubbles and turns amber-colored, about 5 minutes.

2- Add the diced pears and rosemary sprig. Cook, tossing and stirring until the pears are slightly softened and richly glazed. Add balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

3- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the caramelized pears and sauce to a small bowl.
(Discard the rosemary sprig)

To Serve:

1- Ladle the soup in six warmed soup bowls and place a spoonful of the pear in the center of each dish.

2- Drizzle balsamic sauce over the soup.