Celeriac Recipe & Tips

Celeriac is quite a versatile root, making a wonderful soup and fritters. In combination with potato it makes a great mash but doesn’t have enough starch to make mash on its own. The best way to do this is to mash potato in the usual way and then add Celeriac that has been pureed in the food processor.

Celeriac, Leek and Potato Gratin with Capers and Thyme

Ingredients

1 medium celeriac
600g potato
2 medium leeks
10 cloves garlic
3 sprigs thyme (leaves only)
100ml white wine
2 T small capers
Butter
Salt and peppers
300ml cream

Method

Use a knife to slice the skin off the celeriac, then chop it into slices 5mm thick. Cook the slices in boiling water for 3 minutes. Wash the potatoes, slice them to the same thickness and cook them for 3 minutes too. Peel the potatoes only if the skin doesn’t appeal to you.
Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, wash them and chop them into slices about 2cm thick. Slice the garlic. Melt 1T butter in a pan and cook the leeks, garlic and thyme for 5 minutes over a fairly high heat. Pour in the wine and cook on high for one minute more. Off the heat stir in the capers.
Heat the oven to 170°C. Butter an oven dish and line the base with overlapping celeriac and potato slices. Season with salt and pepper and then cover with a thin layer of leeks, then another layer of celeriac and potato repeating until all vegetables are used up. Pour over the cream and press down gently on the vegetables. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the roots are tender.

Courtesy: Paradiso Seasons