This recipe is part of Ugly Vegetable Winter – weird winter vegetables that are delicious, locally grown, and often ignored. Celery root and celeriac can be used interchangeably and people have very strong opinions about which is correct. Call it what you want.
Celeriac is the ugly, alien-looking root system of the celery plant. Don’t be scared – once cut it looks like a potato. Once cooked, celery root has a very creamy texture, again similar to a creamer potato. The flavour is mildly-celery, with a very sweet and nutty taste that pairs incredibly well with savoury dishes. It’s light, it’s bright, it’s the best mashed potatoes you’ll ever have – and it’s not even potatoes.
Every head of celery has a celery root. Since demand for celeriac is low, it’s often left to rot in the fields. This is a shame since it’s incredibly delicious, nutritious, and easy to cook. If more people start to ask for celeriac it can create a big impact on the food system.
Celeriac: boil it, mash it, stick it in a stew.
Method
SEAR THE PARSNIPS
Peel and cut your parsnips. Parsnips come a wide array of sizes, similar to carrots. If your parsnips are very thick, cut them into strips. I cut mine into four strips, about 1/2” thick at the widest part of the parsnip – they will taper naturally.
Preheat a 12” pan on medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Once the olive oil shimmers, place the parsnips cut side down and lightly sprinkle with salt. The salt here draws out moisture, the soy sauce will add more salt later – so be gentle with the salt.
After 3–4 minutes check the bottom of the parsnip, they should be getting a very dark golden colour. Turn the parsnips and check again after 2 minutes. If you quartered your parsnips they will have each three sides to brown. You may want to move the parsnips in the center of the pan to the edges, or sear in batches, if you get uneven browning. After 8–10 minutes your parsnips should be seared on all sides and have a crisp–tender texture.
GLAZE THE PARSNIPS
Reduce the heat to medium low. Add in the sliced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, tossing the garlic to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Add the soy sauce and honey. It should bubble and sputter. Toss the parsnips to combine in the glaze. Remove from the heat.
Top with lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper.
SERVE
Transfer to a large serving tray or individual plates. To turn this into a meal, serve on a bed of cooked farro.