Celeriac & pear soup with mustard

Nutty celeriac and ripe pear make a smooth, gently sweet soup, balanced with Dijon mustard and a little lemon.

Ingredients

• 700g peeled weight, cut into 2cm cubes Celeriac
• 2 medium, about 250g, peeled, cored and diced Ripe pears
• 1 medium, diced Onion
• 25g Butter
• 1 tsp Olive oil
• 800ml Vegetable stock
• up to 150ml, if needed to adjust the finished soup Hot water
• 150ml Milk
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp juice Lemon
• 1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp, divided Fine salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper

Method

1. Set the celeriac on a stable chopping board. Trim away the root and peel the knobbly skin with a sharp knife, then cut the flesh into even 2cm cubes. Peel, core and dice the pears; dice the onion.
2. Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and 1/4 tsp salt and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft but not coloured.
3. Add the celeriac, pears and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then cover partly and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the celeriac is completely tender and breaks easily when pressed with a spoon.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and leave for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth with a stick blender, or carefully in batches in a jug blender. Keep the blender head submerged to prevent hot soup splashing.
5. Stir in the milk, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, nutmeg, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Taste before adding more mustard; the flavour should be warm and savoury without overpowering the pear.
6. Return to low heat and warm gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until steaming but not boiling. If it is thicker than you prefer, add a little of the measured hot water; check the seasoning again.
7. Ladle into warm bowls and serve at once.

Allotment tip
Choose ripe but still firm pears; very soft fruit can make the soup overly sweet and obscure the mustard.