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Celeriac

 




 


eat
celery root

It may appear to be just an ugly, uninteresting, knobbly root but celery root has inner beauty. The flesh - crispy when raw, silky smooth when cooked - has a delicate taste which suggests the flavors of celery and parsley with a slight nuttiness. Try it mashed with potatoes and garlic or in the excellent Celery Root Remoulade (see PICK OF THE RECIPES).

HISTORY

Celery root is derived from wild celery, which has a small, edible root and has been used in Europe since ancient times (it is mentioned in Homer's Odyssey as selinon). It is unclear when celery root was first cultivated but there are references to it dating back to the seventeenth century.

Today celery root is not widely eaten outside of Europe or W. Asia. It is popular in France (where it is used in the classic dish céleri rémoulade - matchsticks of celery in a flavored mayonnaise) and Italy.

BIOLOGY

Apium graveolens var rapaceum is closely related to celery but features a much larger root.

NUTRITION

A number of vitamins and minerals are present in celery root, most notably vitamin C, potassium, and phosphorus.

TIPS

BUYING
Choose medium-sized roots that are firm and free from soft spots or damage. Allow for around ¼ of the weight to be discarded during preparation.

STORING
Refrigerate in a plastic bag (unsealed). Celery root can keep for 2 or 3 weeks.

PREPARING
Trim leaves (if present) and root end. Scrub well and cut off the skin quite thickly to remove any brown bits and the root channels in the base. Drop cut pieces in water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discoloration

Grate or cut into thin sticks for serving raw (blanch briefly in boiling water for a slightly softer, smoother texture). Boil cubes until tender (15 - 20 minutes) before mashing with potatoes and garlic, or other root vegetables. Celery root also works well in stews and roast celeriac is excellent with meat.

PICK OF THE RECIPES

 


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