Celery Root, The Ugly Duckling
If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone pick up a celery root and say something like, “What is this, it’s so ugly!” I think I’d be quite well off. It’s funny, because in France the word “céléri” refers to the celery root (a.k.a. “céléri-rave”), whereas it is always “céléri branche” for the stalks Americans know and crunch for everything from dips to diets. Celery root is also known as celeriac, and is one of three forms of celery; root, branch (or stalk), and leaf, but they are all variants of the same plant. It has only been in the last few years that celeriac has become “hip” and has been appearing on menus. It’s a shame, really, because I think the flavor is quite nice. Interestingly enough, I see descriptions of celeriac that say it is milder than celery, and some say stronger. Here is my take on the flavor of celeriac-I think it tastes more intense, as if the flavor of celery were compacted, but it also is as if you were tasting it from far away, like hearing a song clearly, but from the next room. Where celery can have a strong sharpness to it, celeriac has an intense celery flavor, but without the bite that celery often has, especially the darker stalks. “Earthiness” is another adjective I hear used about celeriac, but not celery. Another difference between the two is the texture-where celery is wet and crunchy, celeriac has a texture similar to turnip or carrot, and when cooked it can take on a smooth velvety texture. It makes a great soup, and I like to add it to roast vegetables, too. It is great as part of a gratin too. Raw, it has a lot of character and is toothsome, making a wonderful addition to slaws and salads. It also makes a great salad alone, as in the famous céléri remoulade, which is grated celeriac dressed in a Dijon mustard spiked mayonnaise dressing and is standard in bistros all over France. Hot, it pairs well with other roots, and with apples, chestnuts, and mushrooms. Cold, think apples, lemon based dressing, and peppery greens like rocket, mizuna, and peppercress.
Selecting and Storing:
When selecting celeriac, look for ones that are firm, and feel heavy for their size. When squeezed, there should be no give to them at all. Try to select ones with a uniform shape as these are easiest to peel, and smooth skinned ones tend to have a brighter flavor and better texture I find.
Celery root keeps quite well in a dry plastic bag in the colder part of the refrigerator. I have kept some for at least a month. Also, if you find you won’t use the entire root, cut off what you need and then peel it, tightly wrapping the rest and saving it for later. Just cut away the exposed surface before commencing with the next recipe.
Prepping Celeriac:
When it comes to peeling these roots, leave the peeler in the drawer. Use a sturdy knife to cut off the top and bottom of the root, and then use the knife to cut from the top down along the sides, peeling the side away from you. If this is intimidating, cut the root into half through the equator or quarters and then peel it. Celeriac will oxidize almost immediately, so have some water with lemon juice or vinegar handy and pop the peeled bits into the water if you are concerned about keeping it pale. To avoid getting the celeriac waterlogged, though, keep immersion time short.
Nutrition:
Nutritionally, celeriac is fairly benign-low in calories with 42 per cup, with 8% of the USRDA of vitamin C, 5% each of iron and magnesium and 268 mg.s of potassium.
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