Celery Root Soup

Adapted from Boston Globe food page recipe, Jan. 20, 2016. I made it mostly because I had never had celery root before. This soup is really good, and elegant.

Soup:
• 2 celery roots
• 2 T butter
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 Bosc pears
• 1 1-inch piece ginger root
• 6 C water

Garnish:
• 1/4 C olive oil
• Leaves from 1 bunch sage

Clean and peel celery roots; cube.

Wash leek carefully; slice thin.

Melt butter in soup pot, saute leeks until soft (8 min or so.)

Peel, core, and cube pears.

Peel ginger root and chop fine.

Add remaining "Soup:" ingredients to the soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until celery root is very soft (about an hour.)

Puree soup in batches in a blender, or use Foley mill or a hand blender.

Return soup to a simmer. Thin with water if desired and add salt and pepper to taste.

In a small skillet, saute sage leaves in olive oil until crisp.

Ladle soup into bowls and put a few sage leaves in each bowl.