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Celeriac Gets to the Root of Flavor and Versatility
October 22, 2008
Celeriac Gets to the Root of Flavor and Versatility
By Denise Miller
For the Albuquerque Journal
When Anne Sommariva began growing vegetables and flowers in the East Mountains 15 years ago, one of her first veggies was celery root.
"That's because my husband is from Switzerland, so I started growing it for him," she says.
Now celery root -- or celeriac, as it's also known -- is a winter staple in her house. It is delicious raw and cooked, and according to Sommariva, its delicate celery flavor and dense structure make it even more versatile than potatoes.
While the stalks and leaves look like celery, they are somewhat tough and bitter and best left for soup stock. The main attraction is the brown, knobby taproot at the base.
About the size of a softball, once the rough outer surface has been sliced away, the inside reveals a white flesh.
While many Americans may be unfamiliar with this gnarly-looking root vegetable, Sommariva said many of her Santa Fe customers are Europeans who immediately recognize it.
Boil, bake or eat raw
Celery root is particularly popular in France and Italy, where it is eaten raw in salads such as a remoulade, which is made with a mayonnaise dressing. One of Sommariva's favorite ways to eat celery root is to simply slice it thinly and sauté it in olive oil and season it with salt, pepper and basil.
She also suggests adding the thinly sliced celery root to lasagna, roasting it, and using it in cream sauces, soups and stews. But why stop there? It also can be steamed or boiled and mashed with parsnips or potatoes, sliced and baked in the oven, or made into fritters.
To prepare celery root, wash the roots thoroughly to remove as much dirt as possible. Then use a knife to trim away the roots and peel.
Because the roots and dirt-filled crevices must be trimmed away, at least a quarter, if not more, of the celery root is lost during peeling. Usually, a one-pound root will yield about two cups peeled and sliced or grated.
Because celery root can be tough unless it is very finely shredded, use either a food processor with a fine shredding disk or a vegetable mandoline. Use a box grater as a last resort.
Celery root must be sprinkled with lemon juice, dipped in acidulated water or mixed immediately with a dressing to prevent it from turning brown in the open air.
Keep on hand
Another plus of this homely vegetable its longevity. It can be stored in the refrigerator for months in a plastic bag once its greens have been cut off, Sommariva says.
"One of my customers just came by and said that one she bought from me last fall she used in June," she added.
This time of year Sommariva's market table offers mostly sweet candy onions, beautiful heirloom winter squash and large dried flower arrangements perfect for the porch.
Earlier this season she sold many types of vegetables, fruits and floral arrangements. All are grown with organic methods.
"The market is so alive, and I love talking with customers who really appreciate the freshness and flavor of locally grown food," Sommariva says.
When she and her family moved to Cedar Grove where she grows food and flowers on 1˝ acres, her long interest in horticulture meshed with her desire to raise vegetables, she says, adding that she feels fortunate her deep well provides pure water.
Sommariva says she particularly enjoys challenging herself to try different crops. After growing two giant gourds this year -- including a Bushel Basket that won the State Fair Horticultural Excellence Award and weighed 100 pounds -- she plans to grow more types of gourds next year because she says they are so beautiful.
Celery root may be too ugly to join the ranks of Sommariva's other pageant produce, but looks can be deceiving: once it enters the kitchen, its inner beauty shines.
FEATURED GROWER
WHO: Anne Sommariva, Mountain Flower Farm
WHERE TO FIND HER: Santa Fe Farmers' Market
FEATURED CROP: Celery root or celeriac
CROP SEASON: September throughout winter
NUTRITIONAL VALUE: Celery root is high in fiber, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and vitamins B and C. Use it to increase the flavor and decrease the glycemic load of a plate of mashed potatoes.
