It was such a treat for all of us, and I personally made a comment about how disgusted I was by how rich the entire dish was. It's a good thing we only eat like this once a year. Gone are the days when Foie Gras was a weekly menu item! (Yes, it's true! For a stretch, sometimes even nightly...) But this made lunch so much more special knowing that it was a rare occasion for such exquisite ingredients.
I'm also past the point of doing individual platings - for such a small party, family style dining is far more intimate with everyone having to help themselves from the same plate. It's sort of a fine dining food meets casual eating concept, and I'm kind of enjoying it so far!
My recipes are typically easy to work with, and can be whipped up in no time at all, but I thought that for this holiday season, posting a fine food recipe would be fitting. One of my favorite side dishes to serve is the celery root puree. It's sort of like an upgrade to your regular potato puree (I remember when Potato Puree was all the rage, it was basically butter with some potato), but with that unique hint of celery flavor, and neutral flavored enough to pair with almost any entree. Mmmmm...
Celery root (celeriac) is kind of an ugly vegetable, and looks like a turnip that has overdosed on some radioactive soil, with dirt trapped between the crevices of knobs sticking out of the surface. Tiny roots are usually still attached to the whole bulb, making it seem like it has a life of it's own. Ew. However, unlike most root vegetables, celery root only contain 5-6% of starch, so it's also a healthier alternative to something like potato.
I wasn't kiding about it looking like a mutated turnip
It's sort of amazing how an ugly vegetable can bring out such delicious flavors after just a little processing - so here's the recipe. Let me know what you think!
Celery Root Puree
1 ea Medium Sized Celery Root (about the size of a large potato)
1 ea Medium Yukon Gold Potato
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
Salt and White Pepper to taste
1. Using a knife, cut around the celery root to remove the thick skin
2. Dice the celery root and set aside
3. Peel the Potato, and dice into cubes the same size as the celery root cuts
4. Bring a pot of water to boil, and salt well
5. Add the celery root and the potato and cook until potato is just done, about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the cut
6. Strain vegetables and place in food processor. Add cream
7. Puree until very smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste, pulsing to incorporate flavor
8. Serve immediately, or leave to cool
9. To reheat, place puree in a metal bowl over a water bath, and gently warm
Happy New Year Everyone!
ReplyDeleteYou know I've never tried to make celery root. I'll definitely give this a try when I see it at the farmer's market. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOk I finally tried this recipe. although it was totally changed. Only had sweet potatoes and buttermilk on hand so i used those as substitutes instead. But it worked out fab!!! Mikee loved it!
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