Closely related to celery, this plant develops
a knobby cricket sized root with a crisp texture and intense
celery flavuor. (The stalks and leaves are not eaten.) Celeriac
is a favourite vegetable in France and Italy, where it is eaten
both raw and cooked. Cooked celeriac and potato complement one
another, and the two vegetables are often combined in one dish.
Like celery, this autumn and winter vegetable can also be used
as a flavouring.
Celeriac is low in calories, with about 25
in approx 100g. Vitamin C, potassium, and phosphorus are the
key nutrients.
Buying
Look for smallish, heavy, firm celeriac roots; although the
outside may be dirty, it should be free of deep dents, cuts,
or soft spots. If the stems and leaves are attached, they should
be fresh and green.
Preparation
No matter how you're cooking celeriac, it needs to be scrubbed
well. It can be baked in its skin, then peeled; for other cooking
methods, the thick skin should be pared off first. Slice or
dice celeriac and braise or boil it until tender, or grate it
or cut it into thin sticks for serving raw (in salads or as
a crudite, with a creamy yoghurt dressing or dip).