Ugly But Delicious Celeriac

Celeriac is one of those veggies that if you are not familiar with it and you have a choice, you would probably choose to skip over it, but don't! It is delicious and nutritious. A sister to celery (actually a type of celery bred for its root), it is low calorie and fairly high in potassium and vitamin C.

Celeriac stores well in the fridge, lasting for months. Prepare it by carefully cutting away the tough, rough, outer covering (or skip the peeling part if you're like Derek and Dana and don't mind skin on your root veggies). Celeriac can be eaten raw or cooked. To eat it raw, make sure to get a "dressing" on it quickly or place in cold water with a squeeze of lemon as it oxidizes and turns brown the way potatoes and apples do when cut. Try grating some into coleslaw or making the French Remoulade which is light and delicious. There are many recipes for celeriac on this site for salads, soups, roasted veggies and more using this flexible root vegetable.

Two simple ways I enjoy it is to mix it with other roasted veggies - think a combo of some or all of the following: potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, garlic, winter squash, turnips, celeriac, cauliflower, beets, radishes, onions, etc. Just cut all the veggies up into a similar size and place onto a large baking sheet - drizzle olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, mix well, and spread in a single layer. If you want, add a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary. Roast at about 425 degrees until veggies are tender and browned in spots - usually around 45 minutes. I also like it in what I call "mixed mash" - a combo of potatoes, sweet potatoes and celeriac - all boiled and mashed together - YUM!