Arracacha, known in our country as cepa de apio, is one of the least carby and most nutritious tubers, it shines in this creamy Arracacha Soup with Ginger. If you can't find this root vegetable, celeriac will also work.
Why we ❤️ it
Ginger is used in Dominican cooking in desserts and the ever-welcome ginger tea. It is not a traditional part of our savory cuisine. I've set out to change that, starting with this Cream of Arracacha and Ginger Soup.
Arracacha
Arracacha is known in the Dominican Republic as cepa de apio, and in parts of South America as apio criollo, and is a tuber that is now widely available at local supermarkets. Arracacha in English may be known as white carrot, but it's not a very common vegetable in English-speaking countries.
The first celery root recipe that we published was found by Aunt Ilana in Constanza, in the high mountains and colder climate of the Central Mountain Range (Cordillera Central), where the temperature allows for this crop. Going to the other extreme, Aunt Ilana brought us the news that "green" ginger was grown in Samana.
What a great way to combine the flavors of our cold(ish) mountains and our beautiful coast!
About this recipe
To add a bit of my own culinary heritage I added thyme, an obligatory ingredient in soups and stews in the northwest of the Dominican Republic, where I hail from.
The result of all this mixing? A creamy soup, light, but filling, and with a very refreshing taste provided by the ginger, and the earthy tones of fresh thyme.
Recipe
Arracacha (or Celeriac) and Ginger Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup ginger, fresh, peeled and sliced
- 1 red onion, large, cubed
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon of dry leaves
- 1 carrot, large, peeled and diced
- 2 pound celeriac, [0.9 kg], peeled and cubed
- 1½ quart vegetable stock, [1½ lt]
- 1½ teaspoons salt, (or more, to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), (or more, to taste)
Instructions
Sauteing vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pot over low heat. Add ginger and cook and stir for a minute. Add onion and thyme and cook and stir until onion becomes translucent.Stir in carrot and celeriac, cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stir often to prevent them from burning or sticking to the bottom.
Boiling: Add vegetable stock, cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender.Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Blending: Remove the thyme sprigs and blend to desired smoothness (I prefer it not too "creamy").
Reheating: Pour into a pot and reheat, adding more water if you find it too thick.Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serving: Serve hot with rustic bread.
Tips and Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
