Soup on Sunday: Creamy Dutch Mustard

Last week during my layover in Amsterdam I had the most delicious and unusual soup—cream of mustard (or Zaanse Mosterdsoep). Certainly this is a new one for me, but mustard soup has a long tradition in Holland. I started looking for recipes to recreate this at home, and found a delicious vegan version. It’s really quite simple and healthy too, as it is creamy without using cream. For a more decedent version you could always add crème fraiche.

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1/2 small celery root, diced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 bottle dry white wine
6 cups vegetable stock
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons coarse, ground mustard*
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
fresh rosemary sprig
fresh thyme sprig
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot. Add all vegetables and sauté until soft, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and allowing to cook evenly. Add the flour and mix well. Pour in the wine and stir it for a few minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a low boil.

Add the thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds and reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the Dijon and ground mustard, simmering an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove rosemary and thyme and puree soup in batches. Push the pureed soup through a fine sieve to create a very smooth soup. Rewarm soup if needed. Serve hot with crusty bread.

*This is traditionally made with mustard from the Zaan. Any mustard with whole mustard seeds will work well too.

Serves 4