I make this Asparagus and Celery Root Soup with white asparagus rather than green. White asparagus have a more delicate flavor than green and allow the flavor of the mild celery root to come through. Fresh white asparagus are only available during Spring and Summer. I remember how excited my Mother used to get when I showed them to her because she couldn’t eat green vegetables. White asparagus are available in bottles but the texture is too soft and the flavor is just not the same. Fresh white asparagus are a real treat and a must for this Asparagus and Celery Root Soup.
Leeks add another layer of flavor to this mild but surprisingly interesting and satisfying puréed soup. You can serve it hot or cold. I garnish it with one or two asparagus tips and some snipped chives or scallions for color. For crunch, you can add some croutons. For Passover, I recommend using toasted slivered almonds or packaged mini croutons for crunch. Broken up matzah pieces won’t work well.
Note: You may be wondering why I use water rather than vegetable or chicken broth. The answer is that the flavor of the celery root and white asparagus is so delicate that I don’t want to dilute them with flavors from anything else.
Prep time: 15 minutes
