Irecall cooking my youngest daughter celeriac mash for the first time: it was met with a deep reluctance. When I suggested it was potato, she tentatively gave it a try. I remember the instant look of suspicion that washed over her little face.That said, I’d have probably been equally suspicious as a child – celeriac wasn’t something my mum cooked for us, and I only discovered the root’s potential when I became a chef. In the winter of 2004, I was cooking a big supper withHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, in an old barn in Dorset. We had some big, fresh, locally grown celeriac for the menu. We made it into a silky, ivory puree, which we served with fried wild sea bass and slow-cooked pork belly. The puree bound those two Distinct ingredients that work together beautifully. I loved the idea of something from the sea and something from the land being joined so perfectly by something from below the ground. And, since that night, my view of this gnarly underrated vegetable has changed completely.Celeriac – a swollen root and member of the celery family – has a flavour somewhere between sweet earth and hazelnuts; it has a toothsome crunch when raw, but softens beautifully too. For me it is one of the most versatile vegetables there are.I use it throughout the autumn when it first appears and well into the late spring. Young, firm celeriac – full of character and fantastic eaten raw – I peel and cut into little batons; excellent crudites for dipping. I also like it coarsely grated, delicately ribboned, or matchsticked and dressed with a creamy mayonnaise, spiked with mustard in a classic remoulade – perfect with grilled meats or lentils.Later in the season, when the weather turns cold, I roast chunks of it – just like you would potatoes – with garlic, dried chilli and lots of thyme until it is caramelised on the outside and soft in the middle. Celeriac dauphinoise is another stalwart: layers of thinly sliced celeriac baked with double cream and a little garlic, anchovies, rosemary and grated parmesan. Wonderful with roast lamb.I’m still as fond of the creamy texture of it pureed or blitzed into a soup as I was back in 2004. So, today’s recipes include both. To keep things fresh, and to showcase the root’s remarkable versatility, there’s a clean crisp salad too – a surprisingly subtle blend of sweet and bitter.
source >.theguardian.com/lifestyle
Celeriac soup
Serves 2-3
30g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium leek, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
500g celeriac, peeled and cubed
1 tsp thyme leaves
About 800ml good chicken or vegetable stock
75ml double cream
Salt and black pepper