Celeriac is a firm root vegetable with a fresh, herby celery flavour. It’s great in soups, stews, mash and salads, and it roasts beautifully in the oven.
Latin name: Apium graveolens var. rapaceum Origin: Mediterranean region
Description
Celeriac is the swollen root of a celery variety. Its rough, knobbly skin hides white, dense flesh that becomes softer and sweeter when cooked. Because it’s so aromatic, celeriac is a classic base for stocks and hearty winter dishes.
In the kitchen
Celeriac is wonderfully versatile: blend it into soup, dice it for stews, or boil and mash with potatoes for a creamy mash. Raw, it’s delicious too, for example in a classic salad with apple and a yoghurt dressing (or a rémoulade-style dressing with mustard and lemon). It pairs well with thyme, bay, parsley, garlic, mustard, apple, walnuts and sharper cheeses.
Storage & preparation
Store celeriac cool and away from light, ideally in the fridge vegetable drawer. Cover any cut surfaces well; rubbing the cut side with lemon helps reduce browning. Peel generously, as the skin is rough and fibrous. Cooked or roasted celeriac keeps covered in the fridge for 2–3 days.
Tasty recipes with celeriac
Snert
A classic, hearty pea soup as it has been made in the Netherlands for generations: slowly cooked with split peas, pork and plenty of winter vegetables.
