Squash and Celeriac Soup with Kale Crisps

What on Earth...?!

​Last October, I shared a post on the delights of the Uchiki Kuri squash (otherwise known as the red onion squash), which as well as being delicious roasted also makes a fantastic base for a (questionably eggy) scrambled tofu. That was on the old blog site and I'll probably repost it here come October but in the meantime I've been continuing to discover an increasing range of yummy things to do with our not inconsiderable crop and though it's not a fresh harvest, since they store so well it doesn't seem unseasonable to share this recipe for Squash and Celeriac Soup. I invented this shortly after Christmas, when I was looking for ways to use up celeriac mash; it's hearty, tangy, smooth yet chunky and with the inclusion of semi-covert red lentils is a pretty good all rounder when covering your macro nutrient bases. We harvested the squash in early autumn to keep them safe from frosts but the hardy celeriac is still in the ground and coming in as we need it, as are the leeks and kale, which also have bit parts in this dish.
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To be honest, when Nik first presented me with celeriac, I had no idea what to do with the strange, alien root. I'd never really encountered it before. I might even have avoided it once or twice, but I've warmed up to it now and this soup has been a part of that process. So, if you're as baffled as I was by the poor old knobbly celeriac, this recipe might just be for you!

To make this soup as a filling and generous meal for two (depending on your appetite) or a side for more (depending upon what you're serving it with) you'll need a small squash and a couple of small celeriac, a baby leek, a cup of red lentils, a lemon, some olive oil and plenty of fresh ground black pepper and sea salt. That's it.
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Making the Soup...

First things first, wash and soak your lentils. Now, red lentils are some of the easiest pulses to digest so if you're short on time and you've got good digestion, you can certainly skip that step and boil them from dry. To maximise digestibility, however; you'll need to soak them for a few hours, drain and then boil them, skimming off the frothy scum that accumulates on the surface. What you're actually doing is removing the lectins, which are the proteins that many plants produce to deter creatures (including us) from eating them. It's these lectins that often cause digestive difficulties (bloating and gas) and can hinder bioavailability of some of the nutrients. Having seen that lentils and pulses recently made it onto the ' dirty dozen ' list, I also like to tell myself that washing and soaking removes pesticides too (whilst making a mental note to add lentils to the list of 'really must source organic' products). If you're not keen on lentils or are really short of time, a can of chickpeas will do the job too; I've made it with chickpeas and it's a great alternative!
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It's true that you could also cobble together a quicker version of this soup by simply peeling and boiling the veg... But quite frankly everything tastes better roasted (fat carries flavour, roasting allows more time than frying for the flavours to develop) so for the best outcome, I'd highly recommend peeling and then roasting the veg before adding it to the pulses. ​

To do this, I halve and deseed the squash and chop the peeled celeriac into fairly small, bite size chunks. The halves of squash act as handy bowls to submerge the chopped leek in the oil and help prevent it burning whilst the flesh absorbs all the flavour. Additionally, once the flesh is scooped out, the skins are delicious either sliced and re-roasted to make a sort of plant jerky or stuffed and served with rice and salad. Why throw that delicacy away!? Anyway, I digress... However you're preparing the veg, drizzle it in a little olive oil and season it with salt and pepper before popping it in a good, hot oven. While the veg is roasting, you can be boiling and skimming the lentils, and knocking up a batch of wholesome rolls to go with the soup (sorry, I'm showing off now). It'll take 30 to 40 minutes to roast the squash and celeriac at full temperature, depending on your oven.
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When the veg is tender, scoop the squash flesh and leek pieces out (do let them cool a bit first!) and stir them into the lentils with the celeriac chunks and a little more salt and pepper. Let them simmer on low for half an hour or so whilst you prepare the kale by slicing it and gently coating it in more olive oil and a good grind of sea salt. These like to be spread thinly on a baking tray and roasted at about 180°c for 15 to 20 minutes. If you've got a fan oven, it'll go much quicker, I used to crouch by my fan oven, sprung and ready to dive at the critical moment between 'crisp' and 'cremated'! It's good if you can time this for the serving of the soup but if you make them in advance, they might need a little re-crisp (exercising the same caution) just before service.
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When the soup has had some time to gather itself and the vegetables an opportunity to get to know the lentils, you're ready to consider texture. If you like a chunky soup, this might be good for you just as it is. I have recently  spurned my stick blender in favour of the humble potato masher, which I find just enough to break it down into an actual soup rather than merely a broth with lumps, yet preserve the interest of different textures. I've realised I'm not a fan of super smooth soup. My teeth get bored. However you approach it, when you're ready to serve, turn off the heat, and stir in the lemon juice before ladling into bowls and garnishing with the kale crisps. 
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Serve with a big smile and warm, fresh crusty bread. Oh, and a spoon. You'll probably need one of those. Having said that, slurping it straight from the bowl would be pretty indulgent and I'd highly approve. Go for it!