More to celeriac than meets the eye

The finished delicious dish

 This bulbous and rather unattractive vegetable is CELERIAC. It is actually a type of celery and so is sometimes referred to as celery root, or knob celery. Don’t wrinkle your nose or turn away, despite its unappealing appearance, celeriac is a delicious and versatile vegetable and I encourage anyone reading this blog to try it. 

The flavour is similar to a blend of strong celery with a hint of parsley. I am a huge fan of celery, as it adds such a burst of flavour to many dishes and stocks which is why I too favour this particular bulb. 

Celeriac can be roasted, boiled, mashed or steamed just like potatoes. Although unlike the spud it can even be eaten raw. Try it sliced or grated and tossed through with lemon and mustard mayonnaise, in a crunchy, classically French Remoulade salad. 

Celeriac is available in Australia from March to December, although I find it is at its prime during autumn and winter. 

Select a bulb that is about the size of a baseball and feels firm and heavy in the hand. The freshest ones have a greenish tinge just under the area where the leaves meet the brown flesh.  

The brown, bumpy flesh along with the thick green stalks and leaves are not particularly palatable. Cut them off carefully with a sharp knife to reveal the creamy, dense goodness underneath. 

This evening, my mother incorporated the celeriac with pink skinned potatoes as a side dish to her Beef Rissoles in Sweet Paprika Sauce. 

Celeriac, Potato and Parsley Mash to serve 8 people

1 celeriac bulb – washed and trimmed of the outer brown flesh and chopped into pieces for boiling
8 medium sized pink skinned potatoes – also washed, peeled and chopped for boiling
sea salt to taste
200 grams unsalted butter diced into small cubes
handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Bring the celeriac and potatoes to the boil in a pot of salted water. Simmer for about 20 minutes until cooked. 

Drain in a colander and while still hot, mash with the butter and additional sea salt to taste. There is no need to add cream or milk because the celeriac imparts enough moisture and creaminess to the dish. 

Once smooth and fluffy fork through the chopped parsley and serve as a side dish to whatever type of protein you have prepared.