Celeriac Soup with Pickled Rhubarb

There’s so much rhubarb in the patch that it is becoming a bit of a problem. Rampant and unwieldy, it is technically caged in a spot removed from the main veg beds to protect it from the rabbits, but I think the barbed wire is really to keep it from taking over the EVERYTHING.

It lives in a very sheltered spot too so it crops enthusiastically from now until July when I stop picking it so it can recover and replenish its nutrients for next year’s harvest. Perhaps I should be tougher on it?

Anyway, its abundance means I find myself with the first of many main crop rhubarb gluts. Now, main crop is a different beast from its dainty, forced sister. Those pink, delicate stems look petite in comparison to the hulking great wedges of reddish-green stems that you get from main crop. They are less sweet too. More sour kick than candy sweet. Which I like. Main crop rhubarb lends itself to savoury dishes, bringing a welcome tartness to oily fish or to cut through things like pork in the way apple sauce might in more traditional contexts.

And that’s how I decide to use it this week – in a savoury soup. I make a thyme and celeriac soup, all nutty and creamy and deeply, deeply savoury. Then I finish it with quick pickled rhubarb ribbons – a sour tang that sits in glorious contrast to the soup. It sounds a bit of strange combination, I’ll admit. But go with it. I promise you’ll like it.

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Celeriac Soup with Pickled Rhubarb

Yield: 2

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A simple dish that's a little bit unusual. The nutty savoury soup is a great contrast to the zingy rhubarb pickles.

Ingredients

• ½ large celeriac
• 25g butter
• 1 tsp chopped thyme leaves
• up to 300ml whole milk
• 4 tbsp cider vinegar
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 stick rhubarb

Instructions

1. Melt the butter gently in a heavy saucepan whilst you peel and finely slice the celeriac. Add the celeriac and thyme to the butter with a pinch of salt and sweat for 10-15 minutes until the celeriac is very soft. Add half the milk then bring to the boil briefly before blending with a hand blender. Gradually add more milk until you have a smooth, thick soup. Season to taste.
2. For the rhubarb, put the sugar and the vinegar in a small saucepan and set over a low heat until the sugar melts. Remove from the heat. Use a peeler to peel the rhubarb into long, thin ribbons. Add the ribbons to the pickling liquor and leave to steep for 5 minutes.
3. To serve, drain the rhubarb, pour the soup into warmed bowls and top with the pickled ribbons.

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