Recipe Instructions:
3/4 pound celeriac (celery root)
1 quart milk
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup rice
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream
Peel celeriac and cut into cubes. Place celeriac pieces into a saucepan and add milk, salt, and pepper.
Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and add the rice. Stir for one minute. Lower the heat, partially cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Once the rice and celeriac are cooked, pour them into a colander. Save their cooking liquid in a bowl.
Place rice and celeriac in a blender or food processor, add 1 tablespoon of cream, and blend for 3 minutes. Add remaining cream as vegetables are being blended.
To thin the purée, add a bit of the reserved cooking liquid (approximately 3/8 cup), and blend for another minute. Taste for salt and pepper. (Note: You can save and freeze any remaining cooking liquid to add to soup.)
If not served immediately, keep warm in a bain marie or double boiler, or reheat over very low heat before serving.
