Celery root and caramelized pear soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 medium celery ribs, chopped
• 1 small or 1/2 medium leek, white part only, sliced, green part reserved
• 4 small garlic cloves, passed through a press
• 1 medium celery root, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 medium idaho potato, peeled and chopped
• 3 Bosc pears, divided, peeled, cored and cut into a medium dice
• 4 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 bouquet garni of 2 bay leaves, 5 sprigs of parsley and 2 sprigs of thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

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Preparation

• Melt the butter in a dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the onion, celery and leek. Sauté for about 6 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
• Next, add the celery root, the potato, one of the pears and the chicken stock. To this, add the bouquet garni and the reserved green part of the leek.
• Increase the heat and bring the stock to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• In the meantime, heat the honey in a small skillet over medium to medium-high heat until it bubbles. Add the rest of the pear and the sprig of rosemary and stir until the pear is well caramelized and soft.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and stir until everything is coated, about another 2 minutes. Discard the rosemary and set the pears aside.
• Purée the soup using your preferred method, either with a blender or food processor or with an immersion blender (my method of choice).
• Check for seasonings and adjust if needed. Serve the soup topped with the caramelized pears.