Spicy carrot and celeriac soup with kale pistachio gremolata

Serves 4

Soup

• 1 celeriac, peeled and roughly cubed (about two cups)

• 6 medium carrots, peeled and chunked

• 1 small Spanish onion, sliced

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (good quality)

• 2 teaspoons allspice

• 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoons cayenne or chile flakes

• Handful of parsley, stem on

• 2 bay leaves

• Black pepper

• Salt

Gremolata

• 1 bunch tuscan kale, washed

• 2 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped

• 1 bunch dill, finely chopped

• 1 lemon

• Olive oil

To make soup -

In a medium pot combine 1 tablespoon olive oil with sliced onion and spices. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set over medium heat. Sauté until soft and starting to caramelize.

Add celeriac, carrots, bay and parsley. Season again with salt. Stir to distribute onion mixture and cook for a minute to let flavors meld.

Pour in just enough water to cover vegetables by a centimeter or so - I like a thick soup so always do a little less water than I think and then thin out in the end if necessary.

Bring to boil then lower heat and cover. Simmer until vegetables are verrrryyyy soft. Around 35-45 mins.

When ready, remove from heat. Fish out bay leaves and parsley and discard. Let cool a bit.

Using a hand blender, blend soup until smooth (thin with water if it’s too thick). When no chunks remain, stream in remaining 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil whilst blending. This gives the soup a velvety richness without adding cream.

Taste and season with salt and/or cayenne if needed.

While soup is simmering, prep the gremolata.

Remove thick stems from the kale and slice into thin ribbons.

In a medium sauce pan, sauté garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil. When fragrant, add kale ribbons and season with salt.

Sauté until moisture is released and kale is wilted but still bright green.

Remove from heat and add zest of 1/2 a lemon, the chopped pistachios and dill.

Stir in an additional tablespoon olive oil and a big squeeze of lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide soup into bowls. Top with kale gremolata, a few parsley leaves and black pepper.