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The fruit and vegetable world overflows with deceptive names, from English's lemongrass—there's no lemon in it—to French's pommes de terre—they'r'e not really apples. But you'll find no trickery in celery root. The warty, blobby vegetable is the underground portion of the thick green stalks everyone knows so well, though celery root usually comes from a variety raised for large roots and slim stalks.
Celery root, or celeriac, has the herby taste of celery and parsley but the starch content common to root vegetables. Like other roots, we feel that this one gets short shrift from shoppers turned off by the unattractive, alien shape. Think of this vegetable as an ugly duckling, its sweet and salty flesh the swan that adds interest to your dishes.
Getting a celery root is easy enough, but what do you do with it once you're home? First, we'd suggest that you forget about your vegetable peeler. Instead, slice a small piece off the bottom of the root, so that you can stabilize it on a flat surface, and then use your knife to shave off the tough skin, following the contour of the vegetable as well as you can. Check for any spots you missed.
We like celery root raw in salads and slaws, julienned into thin, delicate sticks and tossed with a nice dressing: Remoulade sauce, a combination of mustard and mayonnaise, is the classic pairing. We combined celery root, carrots, and cabbage for a slaw that we dressed with a vinaigrette and served with rabbit confit. Duck confit or even a flavorful roast chicken breast would also complement the crispy side dish. Serve with a light California Sauvignon Blanc.
We also like to mash celery root alongside potatoes for an interesting take on a dinner classic. Cut into large pieces, and cook in the same boiling water as the potatoes, pulling each vegetable out when tender and then mashing. Moisten the mix with duck fat or the more traditional butter, and you'll be fainting at the table.
And what is a mash but a chunky purée? Boiled and liquefied celery root makes for a thick, tasty soup that works well with apples and other winter flavors.
Are you a celery root fan? Let us know what you like to do with it in the comments.
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I made a traditional roasted chicken and root vegetables dinner a few weeks ago and threw in rough cut celery root along with the usual carrots, onions and potatoes. My guests LOVED the celery root, like a parsnip but yummier.
It's delicious--we puree it with apples. Better than celery itself. But none of the farmers at the farmer's market (Ferry Building) sell it (you have to buy it inside).
Celeriac is also AWESOME added to a gratin like the classic Dauphinoise (aka scalloped potatoes)