March 2011 Newsletter
Food focus: Celery
root
They’re in the market now, not very
pretty, but tasty either raw or cooked.
Sometimes called celeriac, this edible root -- Apium
graveolens rapaceum --
is related to its more famous namesake, the celery stalk, both being in the
carrot family, along with other old favorites like dill, fennel, parsley, and
parsnips. It is a good source of
potassium, phosphorous, and vitamin K.
When
buying a root, you want one that’s firm.
They are usually about the size of a croquet ball and weigh about a
pound.
If
you prefer your celery root cooked, one very nice way to prepare it is to peel,
chop, boil and then add the soft chunks to boiled potatoes before mashing them
and adding butter or olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh parsley.
Recipe of the Month:
Celery remoulade
Celery remoulade is a winter salad. Your aim, after removing the tough outer skin,
is to get match-stick size pieces, i.e., a julienne. A processor, a manual
grinder, or a sharp knife and some patience will do the trick. Make your
favorite salad dressing or mayonnaise and toss the salad to coat the root
slices well. Or try this simple
dressing:
- Olive
oil
- Apple
cider vinegar in a one-to-five ratio with the olive oil
- Salt
to taste
- Pepper
to taste
- Coleman’s
mustard powder to taste and then shake well
- Chopped
parsley or other herb of your choice.
If
you find the salad too bitter for you, half and half celery root/ carrot is a
milder mixture and prettier, to boot, what with the color added by the carrots.
Recipe
adapted from: The Art of Simple Food,
Alice Waters (Clarkson Potter, 2007), p.243.
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