Greek · Soup

Celery Root Soup with Fig-Feta Pesto

Name: Celery Root Soup with Fig-Feta Pesto
Total time: 1 h 49 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1800 g celery root (celeriac), 1 large or 2 medium, about 4 pounds in all; peeled and cut into 2.5 cm cubes; 60 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil, ¼ cup, for the soup base; 1 fennel bulb, chopped; 2 leeks, trimmed, washed well and chopped; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 120 ml ouzo, ½ cup; 240 ml dry white wine, 1 cup; 1½ L vegetable broth or water, plus more as needed; 2½ tbsp Greek balsamic vinegar, 2 to 3 tablespoons, to taste; 1 tbsp Greek honey or petimezi (grape molasses); 4 dried Greek figs, stemmed; 40 g Greek feta, crumbled; about ¼ cup; 13 g fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped; about ¼ cup; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 40 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil, about 2½ tablespoons; 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds; 60 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil, the remainder of the ⅔ cup, for drizzling

A silky celeriac, fennel and leek soup deglazed with ouzo and white wine, finished with balsamic and honey and topped with a chunky fig-feta pesto and pomegranate seeds.

YieldServes 6
Hands-on55 min
Total1 h 49 min
Difficulty

Ingredients

Soup

1800 gcelery root (celeriac), 1 large or 2 medium, about 4 pounds in all; peeled and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
60 mlextra-virgin Greek olive oil, ¼ cup, for the soup base
1fennel bulb, chopped
2leeks, trimmed, washed well and chopped
to tastesalt and freshly ground black pepper
2 clovesgarlic, minced
120 mlouzo, ½ cup
240 mldry white wine, 1 cup
1½ Lvegetable broth or water, plus more as needed
2½ tbspGreek balsamic vinegar, 2 to 3 tablespoons, to taste
1 tbspGreek honey or petimezi (grape molasses)

Fig-feta pesto

4dried Greek figs, stemmed
40 gGreek feta, crumbled; about ¼ cup
13 gfresh parsley or cilantro, chopped; about ¼ cup
to tasteblack pepper, freshly ground
40 mlextra-virgin Greek olive oil, about 2½ tablespoons

To finish

2 tbsppomegranate seeds
60 mlextra-virgin Greek olive oil, the remainder of the ⅔ cup, for drizzling

Diet

Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)
Mediterranean

Contains

Dairy
Tree nuts
Pistachio
Celery
Sulfites
Goat, sheep, buffalo or camel milk
Olive
Grapes
Fig
Pomegranate
Nightshades (any)
Tomato
Onion family (any)
Onion
Garlic
Leek
Fennel
Carrot
Parsley
Cilantro / coriander
Black and white pepper
Cardamom
Star anise
Anise (aniseed)
Honey
Gums and thickeners
Histamine (aged and fermented foods)
Lactose
Fructose
FODMAPs (any)
Alcohol
Mastic (mastiha)

Taste

Sweet
Sour / bright
Salty
Umami / savory
Richness / fat
Herbal / fresh
Aromatic spice

Texture

Creamy

Equipment

Stovetop
Food processor
Blender

Season

Fall
Winter

Occasion

Entertaining

Effort

45–90 min active
1–3 hours total
Difficulty 2
Make-ahead friendly
Leftovers-friendly

Nutrition

Calories: moderate
Protein: low
Carbs: moderate
Fat: high
Fiber: high
Sodium: high

Budget

Budget: moderate

What it costs to shop for

Members can download a cost breakdown for any recipe in Excel: what to buy after trimming, how many packages, and the cost per serving, scaled to however many you’re cooking for.

Method

The method is for members

The timed method (mise en place, a cook timeline with minutes per step, and cook mode with timers) is delivered to members in their packages, adapted to how they cook.

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