The underated and tasty Celeriac

When it comes to cooking the celeriac tends to get overlooked. I once read that the celeriac is the unsung hero of the vegetable world, it has to be said that the celeriac is not the most beautiful of veg, but what it misses in looks it sure makes up for in taste.  It is knobbly and odd-shaped but the celeriac has a subtle, celery-like flavour, with nutty overtones. It is absolutely delicious.

Originating  in the Mediterranean basin it is now grown in many countries around the world including Northern Europe, as well as in North Africa, Siberia, Southwest Asia, and North America. Celeriac is harvested when it is 10–14 cm in diameter. It is edible raw or cooked. Celeriac can be roasted, stewed, blanched, or mashed. Sliced celeriac occurs as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, and other savory dishes.

The shelf life of celeriac is approximately six to eight months if stored between 0°C (32°F) and 5°C (41°F), and not allowed to dry out.

Try it as celeriac mash, or in big-flavoured, slow-cook dishes, or in its classic form, and as they do in France, as a remoulade.

Looking through my recipes I found this simple but tasty soup from the guys at River Cottage. 

Celeriac Soup

Serves 6                Prep 5mins                     Cook time 30mins approx

 Ingredients 

 

• 50g Butter
• 1 Celeriac, peeled and cubed
• 1 Potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 Leek, trimmed, washed and roughly sliced
• 1 Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 Garlic clove, sliced
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• Parsley & walnut pesto to serve

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pot over a medium-low heat. Add the celeriac, leek, potato, garlic and onion, season generously, and gently sweat the vegetables until they're all starting to soften (this will take about 10 minutes).

2. Add the stock, bring the soup up to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the celeriac is completely tender.

3. Liquidise until smooth, return to the pan and reheat over a medium flame. Just before serving, check the soup for seasoning and serve with a drizzle of pesto or if you prefer maybe a little single cream