Parsnip, Pear and Celery Root Soup with Almond-Vanilla Oil
adapted from Daniel Humm, via New York Magazine
For the Parsnip Pear and Celery Root Soup
1/2 cup almond oil
1/4 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Parsnip Pear and Celery Root Soup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup shallots, diced to 1/4 inch (about 3)
4 cups parnsnips, diced to 1/4 inch (about 4)
1 1/2 cups celery root , diced to 1/4 inch (1 small-medium)
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups pear, peeled, cored and diced to 1/4 inch
2 cups dry white wine
9 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream (half and half or milk for lower fat option)
1-2 tablespoons pear vinegar (or white balsamic as a substitute)
Kosher salt
For Almond-Vanilla Oil (make 4-24 hours ahead)
Place the oil and vanilla bean in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a temperature of 190 degrees. If you don’t have an oil thermometer than just heat it to the point where the oil just warmed and a few tiny bubbles are floating to the top. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and set aside to infuse at room temperature for 4-24 hours (the longer the better), or transfer to a glass jar with an airtight lid. Leftover oil may be stored in the refrigerator and used for up to two months.
For Parsnip, Pear and Celery Root Soup
In a medium stockpot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sweat them for 2-3 minutes without browning. Add the parsnip, celery root, and 4 sprigs of rosemary, and continue to sweat for 5-6 minutes.
Add the white wine, increase the heat to high, and reduce the liquid by half—to about a cup. Add the stock and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, semi-covered, for 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove rosemary sprigs. Stir in cream.
Transfer the soup to a blender carafe. When blending hot food, remember not to fill the carafe up to the top. Allow room for the liquid to expand and steam to rise and dissipate as it blends. Always start your blender on a low speed, and ramp it up to high from there, so you can control the process and avoid food explosions. Alternately, you can use a “stick” or immersion blender to blend the soup to a creamy, smooth consistency. The texture you want is smooth velvet, not applesauce, so blend away until you get the consistency right.
Place the remaining 2 sprigs of rosemary in a fine mesh sieve or chinois, and strain the blended soup over them. Discard rosemary in sieve. Season soup to taste with pear vinegar and salt. Divide the soup amongst serving bowls. Stir up the almond oil so that the flecks of vanilla are suspended throughout the oil, before drizzling over the soup.