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Thanksgiving: Celery Root and Oyster Chowder

Source of Recipe

From "Thanksgiving 101" by Rick Rodgers


Recipe Introduction

"This is my gussied-up version of standard oyster stew, bolstered with celery root and red bell pepper. If you aren't familiar with celery root (also called celeriac or knob celery), give it a try. This gnarly tuber isn't related to celery at all, but has a delicious, mild celery flavor that makes it a superior addition to cold-weather soups and chowders. Its tough brown skin is often coated with dirt, so do rinse it before trimming or the dirt will turn to mud. Just give the peeled celery-root cubes a good rinse before using."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound celery root (2 medium or 1 large)
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped into ¼-inch dice
â—¦ ½ cup chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only
â—¦ 4 cups half-and-half
â—¦ 2 dozen oysters, shucked, with their juices
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ â…› teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
â—¦ Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish


Recipe

Cut off the gnarly parts of the celery root (it is too much trouble to pare the nooks and crannies). Using a sharp knife, peel the celery root. Cut in half, and remove any soft, spongy center parts. Remove any skin still in the crevices with the tip of the knife. Cut into ½-inch cubes and place in a bowl of cold water.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Drain the celery root and add it to the boiling water. Return to the boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the celery root until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside. (The celery root can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, stored at room temperature.)

In a Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the red bell pepper and leeks, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the red bell pepper softens, 5 to 7 minutes. (The leek-red pepper mixture can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, kept at room temperature. Reheat over low heat before proceeding.)

Pour the half-and-half and oyster juices into the Dutch oven, and increase the heat to high. Cook just until small bubbles appear around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the oysters and celery root, and cook just until the oysters curl around the edges and are heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed soup tureen, and serve immediately in warmed soup bowls, garnished with the parsley.

Makes 8 servings