[meagen]

i'm not exactly certain why, but i've gotten it into my head that i want to cook a celeriac. the only recipes i've been able to find are for the remoulade, but i don't really want to make that. (no, i don't know why i would buy something i don't know how to cook, or how it really tastes.)

does anyone have suggestions on how else to cook this root veggie? could i roast it? what other vegetable could it be compared to, in terms of preparation? thanks for the help....

[Albacore]

How about Celeriac soup? Or a gratin with celeriac and potatoes? I think roasting it would also be very tasty, maybe with a few other veggies thrown in for variety and colour? Let us know how it turns out!

[Guest]

I love this recipe. I've served it several times at holiday dinners, and people like it, although they usually don't know what it is. It's from one of my favorite out-of-print cookbooks--Cold-Weather Cooking by Sarah Leah Chase. I've added international measurements to the best of my ability. By the way, I never know what size of celeriac is "medium." They usually seem to be all about the same. Fortunately, it really doesn't matter in this recipe.

Roasted Celeriac and Shallot Puree

2 medium knobs celeriac, peeled and cut into 1-inch/2.5 cm chunks
8 shallots, peeled
3 tablespoons/1.5 ounces/45g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup/125 ml dry white vermouth
1/4 cup/60 ml heavy or whipping cream
salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1.Preheat oven to 375F/190C/gas mark 5.
2.Toss the celeriac, shallots, and melted butter together in a roasting pan. Sprinkle the vermouth over all. Roast them in the oven, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and browned, about 1 hour.
3.Put the vegetables, pan juices, and the cream in a food process. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot. The puree can be reheated in a microwave or top of a double boiler. 6-8 servings.

[Guest]

I forgot to mention on the previous post, which didn't show my user name (we'll see if it does this time), that the house smells wonderful while the celeriac and shallots are roasting with the butter and vermouth.

Here's another recipe, from another of my favorite out-of-print cookbooks, Harvey Steiman's California Kitchen. This is good too, though I prefer the previous recipe.

Celeriac-Pear Puree

2 celery roots (celeriac)--about 1 1/2 pounds/750 g
1 tablespoon/15 ml lemon juice
2 large Bosc pears (a firm pear that doesn't fall apart when cooked)
2 tablespoons/30 g butter
salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel the celeriac and cut it into 1-inch/2.5 cm cubes. Boil in lightly salted water until tender when pierced, about 15 minutes. Lift them from the water and drain in a colander. Add the lemon juice the to water in the pan and return it to the heat. Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Add them to the water and simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the pears. Puree the celeriac and pears together in a food processor or food mill. Beat in the butter and salt and pepper.

[salmonista]

Just checking to see if my user name shows now.

Ok, success! and I can even edit now.

[brighidsdaughter]

Finally found my recipe for celeriac soup! I make this every Thanksgiving.

1 medium onion, diced
3 small celery ribs with leaves, diced
oil/butter for saute
1 medium celeriac
1 medium mature potato
Vegetable broth -- I use Telma or Knorr cubes
Salt & pepper to taste
Creme fraiche to finish - optional

Saute onion & celery in oil/butter until beginning to brown.
Peel and dice celeriac. Put in acidulated water to keep color, drain before cooking. Peel and dice potato. Cook all vegetables together in vegetable broth until very tender. Drain, reserving broth, and puree. Add broth to desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. May be made 1 day before serving and refrigerated. Heat well before serving. Garnish with creme fraiche.

[Jennifer]

Celeriac makes a subtle but unbelievably tasty addition to mashed potatoes. Simply peel the root (using a knife -- to try to do so with a vegetable peeler would mean insanity, and no doubt a few scraped knuckles), chop it into large chunks and cook it with your potatoes. I cannot recommend it highly enough, y'all.
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