Gnarly, dude. That’s the expression that comes to mind when I think of celery root. It really is rather gnarly—a big bulbous root vegetable, often tangled with twisted daughter roots. It can also be challenging to prep, given the said tangled roots and the fact that it tends to be hard, butternut squash hard, to cut. That said, it is one of the most lovely things to eat. Raw, it’s delightful in salads. Cooked, it sweetens, and tastes a little like a parsnip that fell in with some celery ribs. It is often mashed and mixed with mashed potatoes, but I enjoy it all on its own, mashed with some butter and milk or cream. It’s a perfect side for lamb, steak, or chicken.
Celery Root Mash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds celery root
- 1/2 cup milk or cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt to taste
- Chopped celery root leaves, for garnish (optional)
Method
1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer (1 Tbsp of salt for every 2 quarts of water) while you peel the celery roots with a knife. Cut the celery roots into 1-inch pieces and boil for 25-30 minutes, until soft
.
2 Drain the celery roots, return them to the pot to the stovetop on low. Let the celery roots steam for a minute or to, shaking the pan a bit to prevent sticking.
3 Add the milk or cream, butter and a generous pinch of salt and mash with a potato masher until it is as smooth as you like it. Add salt to taste and garnish with the celery root leaves, if using.
Yield: Serves 6-8 as a side dish.
Links:
Celery Root Soup - from David Lebovitz
Cauliflower-Celery Root Puree - from Jan's Sushi Bar
How to Trim Celery Root - video from Melissa Clark of The New York Times
Beautiful picture! I Love celery root, goes well a backed egg too.
I’m not a fan of celery root but that’s a beautiful photo – love the steam coming out of the mash!
I love celery root! It is a great side dish for fish.
Being a big fan of celery and celery root, this sounds and looks great! Thanks for the details on how to work with celery root.
Try roasting instead of boiling, and then pureeing with an immersion blender or food processor. The flavor of the celeriac deepens, and you get that lovely roasty, caramelized note. Lovely!
Hahaha yeah they are totally gnarly looking. I have celery root mash for the first time last year in France and loved it! Will have to try this recipe.
Can I pre boil the celery root a bit to soften before cutting? Just hoping for an easier method to cutting.