2019 Chardonnay & Celeriac Soup with Cardamom and Crème Fraiche
Winter 2023 selections: Celeriac Soup with Cardamom & Crème Fraiche
It's soup season, and Chef John Vong has just the recipe for you. This creamy, seasonably appropriate soup is a delightful pairing with our 2019 Chardonnay - with it's subtle creaminess and balanced acidity, it's just the right accompaniment to your meal.
Recipe by Fort Ross Estate Chef John Vong
Ingredients:
1lb celery root, peeled and diced 1’’
1lb Yukon potato, peeled and diced 1’’
2 large shallots, small diced
1 cup white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon celery seed
2 teaspoon whole cardamom
6 black peppercorns, whole
3 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley
2 quarts vegetable stock
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup crème fraiche
Celery leaves to garnish
Kosher salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Make a bouquet garni by tying up thyme, celery seed, cardamom, peppercorn, and parsley in a cheesecloth. Set aside.
2. Heat a 6-quart stock pot to medium heat. Add celery root, potatoes, shallots, and olive oil. Season lightly with kosher salt. Sweat vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring often until shallots turn translucent.
3. Add wine to deglaze. Reduce for a few minutes until wine reduces by half
4. Add vegetable stock and bouquet garni and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes until celery root is fork tender.
5. Remove bouquet garni. Put soup in a blender with the butter, and blend until smooth. Pour soup through a strainer into a clean stock pot. Bring to a simmer. Add cream and stir. Season with kosher salt.
6. Ladle soup into a bowl. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche and celery leaves.
Why It Works
The body of our 2019 Chardonnay is rich enough to match the creaminess of the soup, while fresh, balanced acidity prevent it from being too heavy. Touches of baking spice from the oak play up the cardamom note, and ripe notes of apple, peach, and pear complement the earthier flavors of the celeriac.