Celeriac is a root vegetable, a kind of celery. It is cultivated for it’s large, developed root, and is also known as “turnip rooted celery. ” It is typically used when the root is around 10cm in diameter.
Celeriac has a woody, gnarled exterior, and has also been referred to as “rastafarian celery”. because of the tangly knot of roots at its base. The tough outer layer is peeled off, and the inner flesh is pale and crisp, and may be eaten raw or cooked. It has a wonderful, earthy celery aroma, which works well with fish, ginger, potato and in many soups stews or risotto dishes. Boiled, it can be mashed with potato for a delicious mash, or blended and made into creamy soups.
When the celeriac is large, it can be a little woody, which is fine if it is well cooked, but if you have one that is very fresh, it is a delicious vegetable to eat raw. Try grating crisp celeriac with a very fine grater and using as a coleslaw vegetable, with mayonnaise or a creamy dressing. It is nice with lemon juice, or can be dressed with an asian style dressing with lime juice, crushed peanuts, chilli and corriander and sesame oil, to serve with fish or tofu and rice.