Where was all the celeriac when I was growing up? Did it also pass you by in your youth? Or did enjoy it, perhaps as a mash or roasted in wedges, with some beautifully cooked pheasant? Wherever it was growing, I didn’t encounter it until much later in my teenage years (or maybe it was even later).
Now, celeriac is a firm favourite of mine and I eagerly await its appearance every year. Last week, I saw the first few at the Galway market. As with so many other late autumn or early winter ingredients, celeriac pairs well with food stuffs that shares its season. Pheasant and pumpkin seeds would work nicely with a celeriac mash (made as you would a potato mash).
Another more interesting (and perhaps more fashionable) way to use it is to put your celeriac through a spiraliser. Spiralising celeriac is a good way to cut down on carb intake as you can replace pasta with the celeriac noodles.
These noodles works well as a plant-based main course, or as a side dish for roast pheasant (try roasting it on the bone as it tends to dry out due to its leanness). Steamed white fish would also sit well on top of the noodles in the sauce below. If you’re feeling decadent, throw in a spoon of caviar.
How to make celeriac noodles
Peel one celeriac and spiralise it. Place the noodles in water with a little lemon juice to avoid discolouration. In a small pot, take the skins of the celeriac and cover with 500ml of water. You can also add some dried mushrooms at this point. You can pick up packages of dried porcini in most supermarkets.
Simmer the broth for 45 minutes and then strain. Reduce to 250ml and blend with the same volume of butter. Season with sea salt and a little lemon juice. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Plunge the celeriac noodles into the water for one minute or until tender to your taste (I like mine with a little bite). Strain the celeriac noodles and place in the sauce.
