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This is a variation of Julia Child's classic leek and potato soup from her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Celeriac is also called celery root. It's an ugly thing -- brown, mishapen, and occasionally hairy with root tendrils, but it tastes really good. Select roots slightly larger than softballs and peel with a large knife by cutting shallow slices off until you've gotten rid of the brown exterior. Then cut it into coarse chunks.
Cut the top green part off of 3 medium leeks ("green part" is pretty subjective; if you cut it all off, there's not much leek left...I cut off the top quarter or so). Leave the root end intact and split the leeks lengthwise. This allows you to separate the layers and rinse under running water so you can get any dirt out. Lay flat side down and slice crosswise (the root end is good to eat, too, so just trim off the hairs and cut the rest up).
I like to use Yukon golds or other yellow potatoes. Peel and cut into walnut-sized chunks.
Combine the celeriac, potatoes, and leeks in a pot with enough water to almost cover, at least a couple of cups. Simmer until the celeriac is tender, an hour or two. Use a potato masher to pulverize the vegetables, or if you want a smoother soup, lift them out with a slotted spoon and puree in the processor or with a food mill (don't discard the water).
When the vegetables are smashed to your satisfaction, add some chicken stock or vegetable stock (or more water, although it won't taste quite as good) until you have a couple of quarts of soup. Stir in about a cup of creme fraiche, and simmer some more (simmer soup slow and long for the best flavor).
Salt and pepper to taste.