Celeriac: All About It
Celeriac, or celery root, is a variety of celery grown for its root. It has a creamy white inside beneath its gnarly, brown outside. Although its green stalks look like celery, they are hollow and are not typically eaten.
This cool weather vegetable won’t win any beauty awards but it can be used raw or cooked in a variety of ways. You can grate it, roast it, stew it, blanch it, or mash it. It tastes like a cross between celery stalks and parsley and is used as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, and other savory dishes.
CULINARY TIPS
High in fiber and low in calories, celeriac is a great substitute for or addition to starchier vegetables like potatoes.
Use a sharp chef’s knife or a paring knife to peel the root. The root must be peeled completely and kept in acidulated water prior to cooking as its flesh will brown quickly like apples and potatoes.
HOW TO STORE
Brush off any dirt and store, whole and unwashed, loosely wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for several weeks. If stored at 32-34ºF and 95% relative humidity, it can store for up to 3-6 months.
3 WAYS TO PREPARE
- Julienne and mix with a mustard mayo dressing for a version of the classic French céleri rémoulade.
- Make chips! Divide the peeled root into quarters, then slice each quarter into very thin slices. Toss with olive oil and salt, spread in a single layer on a heavy sheet pan and roast at 350ºF until deep golden brown. Let the chips cool on the pan to crisp further, and toss with additional salt before serving.
- Chop the root and potatoes into ½ inch cubes and simmer with a few small garlic cloves until tender. Puree the vegetables with a small amount of cooking liquid, a bit of cream, and salt and pepper.