ABOUT SAFIYAH
Trained at Le Cordon Bleu (London), Safiyah-Mariyah is a Private Chef and Founder of plant-based foods businesses SMCO and SMCO Bakery. Head to her Instagram to see the delicious takeaway meals she serves, along with other creations, which are all loved by Londoners.
Serves 3-4
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 30 mins
What You Will Need
SOUP
1 small celeriac (approx. 500g)
1 litre almond milk
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
CROUTONS
2 slices of bread
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
GARNISH
Toasted hazelnuts
Drizzle of olive oil
STEP 1
Peel celeriac using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Rinse celeriac to remove any excess dirt. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Transfer to a large saucepan.
STEP 2
Peel and thinly slice garlic cloves. Add to the saucepan along with all the remaining ingredients.
STEP 3
Bring to a simmer on a medium heat. Do not cook on a high heat as the liquid will reduce. Cook for 30 mins or until the celeriac is soft.
STEP 4
Remove thyme stalks. Transfer everything to a heatproof blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
STEP 5
Croutons: While the celeriac cooks, make your croutons. Preheat the oven to 220C.
STEP 6
Cut bread into rough 2cm cubes. Peel and grate garlic clove. Add bread cubes, grated garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl. Toss everything together until the bread cubes are evenly coated. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 5-10 mins, until golden brown.
STEP 7
Top the soup with croutons, toasted hazelnuts and drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
*Notes
- If your celeriac is slightly under or over 500g, that’s fine! The ratio for this soup is 1:2 (celeriac to milk) so you can adjust accordingly.
- Almond milk works best in this soup as it has a neutral flavour. I’ve tried coconut milk (carton, not full fat canned), which is also lovely.
- Thyme and garlic aren’t the only aromatics you can use in this soup. If you’d like, add some chilli or a lovely infused oil for your croutons! I’ve used the oil from garlic confit before and it is delicious. It also fills your kitchen with an amazing aroma. This is a great recipe to experiment and test with different aromatics and herbs.
- If you can’t find toasted hazelnuts, then just toast them yourself! Bake at 180C for 5 mins. Set aside to cool. Roughly chop and sprinkle them on top of your soup along with the croutons.
