How To Cook With Celeriac – Bob Andrew, Riverford
PREP
Knobbly and knotted, celeriac is a bit of a challenge to peel. Sometimes a veg peeler works fine, but if the skin is too tough and uneven, use a sharp knife to trim back the most awkward bits. Don’t be shy: the washed trimmings are very good for the stockpot, as are the stalks and leaves. Rinse the celeriac well after peeling, then, if you’re not cooking straight away, drop the chopped pieces into a bowl of cold water mixed with a dash of lemon juice or white wine vinegar, otherwise the exposed flesh will quickly discolour.
RAW CELERIAC
Raw celeriac adds interest and flavour to vibrant autumn and winter salads or slaws without trucking in salad ingredients from sunnier climes. Grate it coarsely on a box grater or in a food processor, or cut into slices (a mandolin is good for this) and then into slender matchsticks. For a softer finish, blanch the matchsticks for a minute in boiling water.
COOKED CELERIAC
Celeriac has remarkable versatility, both in texture and flavour. It can be made into velvety mash, a rich soup, tender gratins and pies, and in the Riverford Field Kitchen one of our favourite ways to bring out its mellow aniseed notes is simply by roasting it.
For mash…
Boil chunks of celeriac in salted water until completely tender, 15-20 minutesdepending on their size. Drain and combine with an equal quantity of cooked floury potatoes and some butter, cream and mustard. For further variation, cube a couple of apples and add to the cooking celeriac, or boil your celeriac in milk with a few peeled garlic cloves then drain and blitz with a little of the cooking milk. Eat as a purée or mash with potatoes.
For ‘smashed’celeriac…
For a rustic-looking side with a nice bit of uneven texture, heat a glug of oliveoil in a pan over a high heat then add chunks of celeriac. It will hiss and spit – keep itmoving so it doesn’t catch or burn. After a few minutes, add 50ml of water, a knob ofbutter, a tablespoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice and a good pinch of salt. Give ita final stir, cover with a lid and turn the heat to medium.Keep checking every 5 minutes,adding a dash more water if it looks like catching. Cook until the edges are soft, but the middle retains its bite – about 20 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes toevaporate off any excess liquid, then season to taste. Use the back of a wooden spoonto smash the celeriac – as much or little as you like.
Good additions include:
A couple of finely chopped garlic cloves added halfway through cooking.
A slosh of white wine, red wine or marsala part way through cooking, since celeriac is strong-flavoured enough to stand up to a bit of booze – as the liquid evaporates its tastewill intensify.
A sprinkling of finely chopped rosemary and chilli, or thyme and sweet paprika, whenthe celeriac’s nearly done and cooking for another few minutes with the lid off.
An extra squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the taste at the end.
For roasted celeriac…
Peel as described above and cut into evenly sized cubes or batons. Toss with olive oil and salt, then spread in a single layer over a roasting dish (use two if you don’t have room – it needs a little space so that it roasts rather than steams). Roast at 190°C/Gas 5 for about 40 minutes, until tender and starting to caramelise round the edges. To reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes, you could also blanch the celeriac for 5 minutes in boiling salted water beforehand. Serve roasted cubes or batons simply, with a squeeze of lemon and some chopped dill or parsley. This goes well with white fish.
Good additions include:
Robust cooked grains (such as spelt or pearl barley) or lentils. Add chopped apple, crumbled blue cheese, peppery leaves and a mustardy vinaigrette (see page 000) for a hearty,healthy salad.
Fold the mix into a risotto a few minutes before the rice is done, just to warm the celeriac through.
Whizz up with some fried onions and stock to make a quick soup; or whizz into a purée with butter or cream and salt and pepper and serve alongside strong-tasting meats – beef, venison or game – or seared scallops and bacon.
For whole roasted celeriac…
To save labour and celebrate the knobbly veg, roast your celeriac whole and serve it as a centrepiece. Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Wash a medium celeriac well to remove any dirt (use a veg scrubber if you have one). Pat dry or leave to air-dry. Put the celeriac on a large sheet of foil on a baking tray and rub all over with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and add a few thyme sprigs and garlic cloves, then wrap the foil tightly around the celeriac to seal it. Roast for 2 hours, then open the foil around the top and roast for a further 20-30 minutes, so the skin crisps up a little. Squeeze it a little – the celeriac should feel soft inside; if not, leave it to cook further. To serve, cut open and add a large knob of butter, like a jacket potato.
Inspired? Here are five further recipes to try at home…
