03 Dec 2008, Written by Janina A. Larenas in food

Celeriac: Ugly, Alien, Delicious

Celeriac. It’s one of those scary abrasive vegetables you see at farmers markets or forgotten corners at health food stores. You know someone must buy it (the same crazy people that buy turnips or horseradish?) because it’s always there, lurking around the nicer more attractive vegetables like carrots or beets. But seriously, who are these people? These people are me. Celeriac is often referred to as celery root, but that’s not entirely accurate. Dig up the root of a regular celery plant and you will be very disappointed. Much in the same way that beets and chard are the same plant grown for different parts, celeriac is celery that’s been grown for its bulbous root base. It tastes like celery but is far more versatile since it acts much more like a potato or carrot. You can use it in potato dishes, stews, stocks, raw or cooked, and my all time favorite: mashed. Mashed celeriac can be used as a side dish instead of mashed potatoes, or as a compliment or garnish to a main course. Because celery is a base flavor in so many savory dishes, it’s easy to pair mashed celeriac with any meal: roasted meats, fake meats, casseroles, you name it, there is nothing I’ve encountered that this dish clashes with. I sometimes feel like I’m cheating when I present this dish to people, it’s so easy to prepare, so delicious, and so weird that it’s basically a parlor trick.

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Mashed Celeriac:

Keep in mind that one celeriac will comfortably feed 2-3 people depending on how large the servings are. You can easily multiply this recipe based on how many people you plan to feed and how much food you are already providing.

Ingredients:

1 celeriac or celery root

1 small clove of garlic

1 whole nutmeg or a pinch of ground nutmeg

cream, water, or anything in between

salt

Equipment:

Food processor

• Take one celeriac (fig. 1) and rinse it to remove any loose dirt
• Using a knife trim away any roots (fig. 2)
• With a vegetable peeler peel away the tough outer skin revealing the white inner flesh. Use a pairing knife to remove any difficult spots (fig. 3). Celeriac trimmings are a great addition to stock if you would like to save them for future use.
• Cut the celeriac into ½ inch pieces (fig. 4)
• Boil the celeriac in water until tender, as if they were potatoes (5-6 minutes)
• Strain the celeriac and add to the food processor with 1 small clove of garlic. If your garlic is large, cut off a small piece of it. As a garlic lover I know the temptation to add more, but trust me, too much will over power the mash and destroy the flavor of the Celeriac. You can always add more later, you can’t always take it back…
• Using a sharp pairing knife or zester, scrape a small amount of nutmeg over the celeriac. You want enough to equal a pinch. If you don’t have whole nutmeg, use a pinch of ground nutmeg instead.
• Salt to taste. You can add more later, and I recommend pushing this limit a bit. After you blend the celeriac you might find it seeming a little flavorless. Try adding more salt before anything else, the saltier it is the tastier it gets
• Add a dash of cream, milk, water, or your liquid of choice, and blend it until smooth stopping occasionally to add more liquid or to push the edges down. If you choose, you can use the water you boiled the celeriac in.
• Taste a small amount and adjust the garlic, nutmeg, and salt, as needed
• The blending and addition of cool liquids should make the celeriac about room temperature. I prefer to serve it warm, but some like it hot, some cold. Whatever your pleasure, spoon it into a dish and its ready to serve!

Janina A. Larenas is a printmaker and food writer living in Santa Cruz, California. She works as a book buyer for a local independent bookstore, and spends her time making anything and everything she can by hand and from scratch. You can see her food writing at www.littleisobel.com/bramblings

View all articles by Janina A. Larenas.

Tags: howto, recipe, simplicities