Conscious Choice: Rooting for Celery Root

December 2001 | Cooking with the Seasons

Rooting for Celery Root

by Terra Brockman

Celery root (also known as céleri rave and celeriac) is a root vegetable that won’t win any beauty contests. The beige-colored lopsided sphere is embossed and channeled, convoluted, creviced, and crowned with disorderly rootlets. But give it a chance, and you will be won over by the beauty within. Just one sniff of the recently dug root will fill your head with an intoxicating parsley- and celery-scented aroma. The taste combines that herbaceous pungency with the crisp texture of the root. Together the combination is irresistible.

Despite its gnarled and gnarly appearance, celery root has a certain panache in some circles, probably due to its honored place in the French specialty, Céleri Rémoulade. If you have ever been to a French bistro, chances are you began your supper with a crunchy salad of julienned or shredded celeriac dressed with a sharp mustard mayonnaise. Celery root is in season right now. You may not see much of it around most U.S. grocery stores, but if you take a fall or winter trip to France, you will see piles of céleri rave at all the French markets. These markets are full of the produce of local gardeners or truck farmers, called maraîchers, who are the backbone of the French agricultural system. Unlike the U.S. government, which ignores small organic farmers and gives hefty subsidies to big chemical farmers, the French government supports small "biologique" farmers. From their small plots, they provide the best and the freshest produce in the country.

Celery root is not only good, it’s good for you — rich in phosphorous and potassium, and a mere forty calories per cup. History tells us that Madame du Barry served celery root soup to King Louis XV every night before they went to bed. Madame du Barry thought the soup was an aphrodisiac, but most herbals herald it for its anti-inflammatory properties and recommend it for people with arthritis or rheumatism.

Celery root is excellent raw or cooked, on its own or combined with vegetables or meats. Raw, it is usually grated, shredded, or julienned, and then dressed with mayonnaise, vinaigrette, or a cream dressing. For a slightly less raw taste, you can first toss the slivered root with one teaspoon salt and one tablespoon lemon juice and let it marinate an hour. Then rinse, drain, and dry thoroughly before dressing.

If you prefer the cooked root, you can boil or bake it, and eat it as a side dish or use it in purées and soups. When braised alongside meat, it creates a tasty two-way street, lending a complex flavor to the meat juices, and a meaty richness to the vegetable. For the same reasons, celery root makes a great poultry stuffing.

Classic Celery Root Rémoulade

3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 large egg yolk
1-1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed, dried, and chopped fine
1 Tablespoon chopped cornichon
1 Tablespoon drained capers, rinsed
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons water
1 pound celery root, peeled, and coarsely shredded

1. Whisk together one-quarter cup buttermilk, cornstarch, salt, and cayenne in a small heavy saucepan. Whisk in yolk, and then add the remaining buttermilk. Cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens, four to five minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

2. Whisk in the olive oil, herbs, anchovy, cornichon, capers, shallot, mustard, sugar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Chill rémoulade, covered, at least thirty minutes.

3. Just before you are ready to serve the salad, shred or grate the celery root. If the rémoulade is very thick, whisk water into the rémoulade to thin it, and then toss with celery root. Makes six servings.

Simple Celery Root in Mustard Sauce

This is a lighter version of the classic, creamy céleri rémoulade.

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tablespoons imported Dijon mustard
1 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound celery root (about two medium-size roots)

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, mustard, crème fraiche, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

2. Quarter the celery root and peel it. Grate coarsely. Immediately add the celery root to the mustard sauce and toss to coat. Season to taste. Serve as a first course. Makes four to six servings.

Potato, Celery Root, and Jerusalem Artichoke Purée

(Purée de Pommes de Terre, de Topinambours, et de Céleri-rave) Adapted from The French Farmhouse Cookbook, Copyright © 1996 by Susan Herrmann Loomis, Workman Publishing, New York

1/2 lemon
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
12 ounces Jerusalem artichokes, peeled
2 medium celery roots, peeled, cut in half, then cut into thick slices
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Fill a large bowl with water. Squeeze the half lemon into it, and then drop the lemon rind in as well. Peel the potatoes and the Jerusalem artichokes, placing them directly in the acidulated water.

2. Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a vegetable steamer. Place the celery root in the top and cook until it begins to turn tender, about ten minutes. Add the potatoes and cook until the celery root is nearly tender through, about ten minutes. Then add the Jerusalem artichokes and cook until they are tender through, about ten minutes.

3. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl, or to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough blade, and blend to a consistent but slightly chunky purée (do not purée them in a food processor or they will turn to glue). Add the butter and continue mixing until it is fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve piping hot. Makes six servings.

Sautéed Celery Root with Swiss Chard

This tangy side dish is good with roasted poultry or meat.

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped coarse
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 pound celery root, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves cut into one-half-inch-wide strips
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté three minutes. Add celery root and sauté until crisp-tender, about eight minutes.

2. Add chard; cover and cook until wilted and tender, about five minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Makes four servings.

Potato and Celery Root Gratin

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 pounds celery root, peeled, halved, thinly sliced
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup canned chicken broth
8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl.

2. Sprinkle half of shallots in a sixteen-cup oval gratin dish or fifteen-by-ten-inch glass baking dish. Top with half the celery root, half the potatoes, and half the spice mixture. Repeat layering with remaining shallots, celery root, potatoes, and spices.

3. Bring cream and broth to simmer in a medium saucepan. Pour over the vegetables. Cover tightly with foil.

4. Place in oven and bake until vegetables are almost tender, about forty-five minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Press the potatoes with spatula to even their thickness. Bake uncovered until the juices thicken, about ten minutes. Top with cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and browns, about fifteen minutes. Cool fifteen minutes before serving. Makes eight to ten servings.

Celery Root and Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts

2 medium celery roots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 medium apples, cored and cut into matchsticks
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 bunch watercress leaves

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon mustard seed
1 Tablespoon mustard
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup walnut halves, toasted

1. Combine the celery root and apple in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss with the green onion and watercress.

2. To make the dressing, whisk the vinegar, mustard seed, mustard, honey, and oil until well combined. Toss with the celery root mixture. Add salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts. Makes four to six servings.

Celery Root and Daikon Salad with Mint

1 medium celery root (about 1/2 pound)
1 small daikon radish (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Dressing:
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Trim and peel the celery root, and then slice it. Cut the slices into two-inch-long strips. Scrub the daikon and cut into similar-size strips.

2. Combine the celery root and daikon in a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped mint leaves and toss.

3. For the dressing, first put the salt and garlic in a food processor. Slowly add the olive oil, as you run the processor. Then add the rest of the dressing ingredients and process until smooth.

4. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, toss, and marinate for an hour. Adjust seasonings and serve. Makes four servings.

Terra Brockman is the director of The Land Connection Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving farmland and promoting small-scale, diversified, organic agriculture in Illinois. Visit www.thelandconnection.org or call 309-965-2407 to learn how to get involved.

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