Celery Root Salad... Recipe
My March Madness Mister is out and about. You might recognize him under the brim of one of his team's hats, or by the NCAA logo on his sweater, or maybe by his white Converse High Tops. Or, maybe you'll be lucky enough to see him dunk an imaginary basketball in the middle of Starbucks - he didn't even know he was doing it until I gasped with humiliation! While he is soaking up every bit of March Madness and regurgitating it to me on an hourly basis (I feigned shock that Ohio State lost, I pretended to weep when BYU fell on the sword, and I even did my best imitation of a whale wailing when he told me Harvard whooped Cincinnati) I have been busy with real life. You know, work. Someone's got to be responsible!! I hate it when it has to be me!
As you may or may not know, I'm a recent convert to celery root. I only discovered it last year and it quickly moved into my #1 vegetable category. I've made Celery Root Soup a half dozen times and have used celery root in other soups and stews but didn't think beyond the pot, (not the kind you smoke - legally in Seattle) as in what else could I do with it?
It's not the most visually appealing veggie, is it? Celery root can have green shoots coming from the top of the bulb or not and the more firm they are, the fresher. Don't buy one that's soft...and if you're not yet a fan, not to worry, you don't eat the peel. When cooked celery root has the texture of a potato but tastes like celery...wonderfully bizarre!
This recipe came to me from my dear friends Elizabeth and Bryan - they're both French no matter what he says. Elizabeth is from Southern France, where I left a part of my heart, so I didn't need any convincing from her when she told me this is a typical French bistro salad. The Dijon dressing is bright, refreshing and the julienned celery root, uncooked and crisp, gives a sweet brisk crunch that will renew your work-weary-tired-to-the-bone-spirit!
Bryan told me the correct French pronounciation of this dish is Celery-Rave Remolade (sel-leri rawv re-mo-laud) and if you want to say it like a Frenchman, put 6 or 7 ice cubes in your mouth and then give it a go...call it what you want, just as long as you call it good!
- Celery Root Salad - Adapted from Saveur Recipes
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup olive oil (original recipe calls for grapeseed oil, but I was fresh out!)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large celery root or 2 medium, peeled
- 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
In a small bow whisk egg yolk and mustard. Pour in 1 teaspoon of oil to creat a thick mixture. Continue whisking, adding the oil slowly so it becomes emulsified, thick and creamy. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, then cover with plastic wrap and chill until serving.
Using a mandoline, if you have one, or a very sharp knife, cut celery root into very thin slices. Stack 2 to 3 slices at a time and cut lengthwise into matchsticks, as small as you can get them, about 1/8" thick. Repeat until all is julienned. Transfer julienned celery root and remaining juice to a bowl, toss to combine. Add chilled dressing, season with salt and pepper, toss. Cover and chill salad until celery root wilts slightly, about 30 minutes. (It will still be crispy but will not be hard.) To serve, garnish with minced parsley. Serves 4 to 6. It looks like pasta in the pic below! This is such a good salad - I hope you'll make it soon!