Serves 6–8

Scrub the celeriac well; cut off the bottom roots and cut away the rough skin until you are left with only the clean, white interior. Chop into 1-inch squares and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and salt and sauté until the onions begin to brown slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the celeriac, pears and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes or until the celeriac breaks apart easily when pressed with the back of a spoon.

While the soup simmers, prepare the candied walnuts. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, then add the sugar and butter. When the butter has melted, add walnuts to the pan and stir continuously until the sugar has completely melted and coated the walnuts. Remove from the heat quickly and pour the candied walnuts onto the lined baking sheet, spreading them out so they don’t harden into one large clump. Sprinkle with salt while warm and set aside to harden.

When the celeriac is tender, add half-and-half and nutmeg to the pot. Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If you are using a regular blender, let the soup cool and carefully blend in batches; once blended, return the soup to the pot to reheat.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with candied walnuts and other toppings of your choice.