Celeriac

Known as the vegetables’ world ugly duckling, celeriac has, when you get beneath its warty exterior, a creamy white flesh which tastes like a subtle blend of celery and parsley with a slightly nutty flavour.

It contains many vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, potassium and phosphorus. It has no cholesterol and very low nitrate levels.

In traditional Chinese medicine it has long been recommended as a natural blood purifier and is beneficial for high blood pressure.

Celeriac is mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey in 800B.C. but did not become an important vegetable until the Middle Ages. It was used in France in the 1600s and was commonly cultivated in most of Europe by the end of the 17^th century.

 When buying celeriac choose a medium sized one which is firm and free from soft spots, and allow for at least a quarter of the weight to be discarded during preparation. Stored in the fridge in an unsealed bag it will keep for two to three weeks.

At this time of year celeriac can be a perfect non-starch substitute for potatoes and can be prepared in a similar way.

To prepare celeriac, scrub it well. Do not be alarmed at the amount of skin you have to cut off to get to the creamy white flesh. Because the root channels are interwoven in the base of the bulb you will need to cut all this away. Also, it discolours very quickly so either use it immediately or pop it into some water with lemon juice until ready to use.

Celeriac can be used in many different ways. For example, it can be eaten raw in salads, grated or cut into thin sticks . . . although it may be best to blanch it for a couple of minutes to make it a bit smoother. Also, it can be boiled and mashed, roasted or cut into chunks and used in casseroles.

This recipe is for a country style celeriac vegetarian dish for four to five people. You need:

1 small celeriac peeled, cubed and put into water containing lemon juice.

3 medium onions peeled and cut into quarters.

4 carrots peeled and cut into large chunks.

1 small bunch of celery washed and cut into 1 inch pieces.

25g butter.

300ml vegetable stock.

Salt, pepper and chopped fresh parsley.

To prepare:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add onions and carrots and cook until just coloured.

2. Drain celeriac and add to the pan with the celery and give them a good mix.

3. Pour on enough stock to cover the vegetables and season well with the salt and pepper.

4. Cover and bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 50 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

5. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley.

You may vary this dish by adding some meat; either chicken or pork would go well. Just cut the meat into chunks and add with the onions to brown on the outside first. It can also be made richer by adding some cream or a little bit of wine…or both.

To make mashed celeriac, boil cubes until tender (15-20 minutes) and mash with potatoes and garlic, or other root vegetables, and some olive oil.

For a spicier dish, roasted, curried celeriac chunks are a tasty side dish with meat. Simply melt 85g butter and add 1 tbsp each of curry powder and black mustard seeds and cook for 2-3 minutes. Cut one celeriac into chunks and put into a roasting tray. Pour over the butter, season with salt and pepper and mix well to coat the celeriac. Roast for 40-50 minutes at 210°C, shaking the tray every 15 minutes until the celeriac is golden.