Celery Root Soup with Pancetta and Toasted Hazelnuts
This Celery Root Soup gets a creamy chicken stock and coconut milk base, pan seared Pancetta, Brussels Sprouts and Toasted Hazelnuts for one amazing soup!
Peel and chop the celery root into 2 inch cubes. Cut the onion into 8 pieces. Toss both vegetables in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside. On a separate lined baking sheet, add the hazelnuts and place in the oven along with vegetables for 20 minutes.
Remove vegetables from oven and set aside. Remove the hazelnuts from oven, rub with a kitchen towel to remove toasted skins, discard. Rough chop the nuts and set aside.
In a large skillet add 1 tbsp olive oil and chopped pancetta. Brown, drain and reserve rendered oil. Set aside.
In a large casserole/soup pot add the rendered pancetta fat and sauté the diced shallot for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the flour and cook for one minute, stirring. Add the chicken stock and stir to avoid lumps and stock thickens. Add the coconut milk and stir. Bring to a boil and return to low to simmer.
In a large skillet, add remaining olive oil and sauté thinly sliced brussels sprouts until browned and edges start to caramelize. set aside.
Either add roasted celery root and onion to soup stock mixture and use an immersion hand blender to mix, or add to a blender and purée until smooth and return to casserole/soup pot. Taste and season if needed with kosher salt.
To assemble ladle soup into bowl, add handful of caramelized brussels sprouts, top with browned pancetta, toasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of good olive oil.