Mushroom-And-Celery Root Salad
Submitted by Piejean
Mushroom and celery root soup with dried and fresh mushrooms, pear, Spanish onion, and a touch of cream pureed into a thick, earthy bisque. Freezes for up to 3 months. Despite the title, this is a rich pureed soup, not a salad.
YIELD
11 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsDon’t let the title fool you. This is a thick, velvety pureed soup, not a salad, and it’s built on a double hit of mushrooms: dried mushrooms soaked and added to the puree for concentrated umami, plus fresh mushrooms sliced thin and simmered in the finished soup for texture.
Celery root and pear cook together with the mushrooms in chicken stock, then get pureed until completely smooth. The celery root brings an earthy, almost nutty depth, while the pear adds a subtle sweetness that rounds out the mushroom flavor without tasting fruity.
A small amount of cream goes in at the end for richness, but this soup is meant to be thick. Add water only if it’s too dense to ladle. The mushroom slices floating in the puree give each spoonful something to chew on.
Pro Tips
- Save the dried mushroom soaking liquid and add it back to the soup. It’s intensely flavorful and deepens the mushroom backbone.
- Puree until truly smooth. Celery root can be fibrous, so process longer than you think is necessary.
- Don’t boil after adding the cream. Gentle heat only, or the cream can break and the soup turns grainy.
- This freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Reheat gently over low heat.
Variations
- Use porcini as your dried mushroom for the deepest, most luxurious flavor.
- Swap the pear for a tart apple for a slightly sharper, less sweet profile.
- Drizzle each bowl with truffle oil and serve with crusty bread for a first course that feels special.
Ingredients
Directions
PUT DRIED MUSHROOMS in small dish.
Add boiling water.
Set aside to soak.
Heat oil in 4-quart pot.
Add onions. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add celery root, half of mushrooms, pear and 4 cups stock.
Bring to boil. Simmer, covered, until celery root is soft, about 25 minutes.
Thinly slice remaining mushrooms. Set aside.
Strain solids from liquid, reserving both.
Strain dried mushrooms from liquid, reserving both.
Purée solids and dried mushrooms in processor or in batches in blender until completely smooth.
Return to pot. Stir in cooking and mushroom liquid, remaining stock and mushroom slices.
Simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
Stir in cream, and water to thin soup if necessary (it should be very thick).
Adjust seasoning. Heat through but do not boil. Can be refrigerated as long as 4 days or frozen up to 3 months.
Serve hot.
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