How to make celeriac soup with turmeric and coconut milk with toasted cashews

In this most mirthless of months we are prone to hibernate; seasonal celeriac with turmeric and coconut can make it a retreat to savour

Photos Julia Platt Leonard (Julia Platt Leonard)

February is a frugal month. We watch our waistlines and wallets with equal concern. If you’re keen to eat with the seasons, it’s all a bit frugal too.

Kale, leeks and cabbages are trusty standbys and don’t mind a spot of cold weather. But dig a bit deeper (pardon the pun) and you’ll find Jerusalem artichokes, creamy heads of cauliflower, sturdy swedes and purple-blushed turnips.

In the "it may not be pretty but it is tasty" category, there is celeriac. It’s a knobbly old thing but scrubs up nicely.

Peeled and sliced thinly and you can eat it raw, savouring its celery flavours. Mash it on its own or with potatoes to keep it company, and you’ve got a winning side. Or create a classic celeriac remoulade – a creamy, crunchy concoction of mayonnaise, mustard and a hit of lemon.

When shopping, look for a smoother celeriac with fewer rootlets as these are easier to clean and slice.

Once you’ve peeled and sliced it, pop it in some acidulated water – water with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. It will keep the flesh from turning brown.

While celeriac is a natural in salads, it can hold its own as a soup. Add some turmeric and coconut milk and you have a creamy vegan soup that’s perfect for a frugal day in February.

Celeriac soup with turmeric and coconut milk with toasted cashews

Serves 4-5

1 celeriac, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, diced
1 small knob of ginger (about 30g), peeled and chopped finely
1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
1 ½ tsp turmeric powder
400-500ml vegetable stock
200ml coconut milk

To garnish

Toasted chopped cashews
Toasted coconut flakes
Coriander leaves
Chilli pepper flakes

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium sized pot. When warm, add the chopped onions, stir to coat in the oil, cover the pot, and sweat the onions over medium heat. You want the onions to be soft but not brown.

Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add in the chopped celeriac and the turmeric powder. Stir to coat all the vegetables in the turmeric. Cook for a few minutes then add in 300ml of the vegetable stock. The stock should almost cover the vegetables.

Cover the pan and cook until you can easily insert a knife into the celeriac. Remove from the heat and puree in a blender or with a stick blender. Stir in the coconut milk. Add additional vegetable stock if needed – the soup should be the consistency between single and double cream.

Warm the soup but don’t allow it to boil. Serve garnished with the toasted cashews, coconut flakes, coriander and chilli pepper flakes.

@juliapleonard