Celeriac. This weird-looking veggie is showing up in shares and at the farmers markets. What the heck do you do with it? Well for starters, you could make a really excellent soup (see recipe below).

Celeriac, also known as celery root.

Celeriac, also known as celery root, has an obvious but unusual kinship to the common celery. Do not be put off by celeriac’s rough exterior. Inside, a surprisingly delicious and versatile vegetable waits to be added to your culinary repertoire.

Its excellent storage capability is coming back into style as many of us shift our diets to local and seasonal produce. Celeriac has a crisp texture raw or cooked, and super-concentrated celery flavor, enhancing its usefulness as both vegetable and seasoning. Celeriac is high in carbohydrates, vitamin C, phosphorous, and potassium. It weights in at 20 calories per one-cup serving.

Find more great recipes like the one below in From Asparagus to Zucchini, FairShare CSA Coalition’s tool for all cooks!

Celeriac Potato Green Chili Soup

Ingredients:
1 large onion, sliced
2 T. butter or vegetable oil
1 medium bulb celeriac, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 ½ t. chopped, fresh thyme
3 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
4 ½ cups whole milk
½ cup peeled, seeded, and chopped poblanos or Anaheim chiles
2 t. salt
½ t. black pepper
2 t. sugar
1 T. rice wine vinegar

Directions:
Sweat onions in butter or oil over low heat until onion is completely cooked but not yet caramelized (15 minutes). Add celeriac and thyme; cook, stirring frequently, 5-10 minutes. Add potatoes, milk, and chiles; simmer until potatoes and celeriac are cooked through. Blend smooth in food processor or with an immersion blender. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, and rice wine vinegar.