For cool Caribbean winter evenings. This soup is traditionally served in the cool, highland areas of the Dominican Republic, Jarabacoa and Constanza, where especially in winter, the nights can be chilly. Sitting by an open fire with your woolies on, watching the pine trees rustle in the chilly night breeze, you could be forgiven for forgetting that you are on a Caribbean island. (Recipe, research and picture by Aunt Ilana).

Time: 30 Mins
Difficulty: Medium
Serve: 6 people

Before starting to cook: No previous preparation is necessary.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 celery root, peeled and sliced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 bayleaf
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• Fennel leaves for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a pan on medium/low heat. When hot, add the chopped onion. Fry till soft, add the cumin powder and the bayleaf. Add the celery, followed a couple of minutes later by the carrots, celery root and potatoes (keep
   
2. on a very low heat). Cover the pan and sweat for several minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. Add the remaining vegetable stock, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Leave to cool. Once cool, blend the soup, add salt and pepper to your liking, adjust water if necessary. Reheat and serve with fennel leaves as garnish.

We spend 4 to 5 months in the DR and I have never seen celery root or fennel in the markets. Please advise. We are in Costambar on the North Coast. That you Margaret

Cepa de apio is rare outside Constanza and Jarabacoa. In Santo Domingo, where I live, it appears in supermarket aisles sporadically, when it does I never fail to buy some as I don't know when will be the next time I'll find it.

Fennel is common in supermarkets here in Sto. Dgo.

For readers outside the DR, I suggest using parsnips where cepa de apio is not available.