Celery Root Puree
This is one of those dishes that makes people think I’m a fancy, culinary-school-trained chef.
That’s because people usually encounter the distinct flavor of celery root in fine restaurants. Fortunately for us, this celery root puree requires no training, no intricate rule-following, and no haute cuisine ingredients.
The celery root itself looks like an ugly, bumpy hairball, which is probably why few incorporate it into their home cooking repertoire. But trust me, when it’s available in the fall and winter months, celery root is delicious and easy to use.
The reason this puree works so well is that the three main ingredients—celery root, potato, and onion—hang out and get to know each other in a hot tub of homemade No-Chop Chicken Broth. By the time they’re pureed together, with a little olive oil, butter, and salt, and baked again in the oven, these root veggies achieve the highest level of harmony. What you taste is not restaurant food. What you taste is the heart of homemade. And trust me, it is easy.
“So what you’re telling me is I have to make a whole pot of soup every time I want celery root puree?” Think of it this way: every time you make a pot of homemade chicken broth—which you’ll do more often now that you know how easy and impressive it is—throw in a celery root, a potato or two, an onion, and voilà. Think of it as a blissful by-product of broth, a treat to look forward to that no one will expect. However, you could also simply boil the celery root, potato, and onion in water or store-bought broth.
Serves 6 to 10
Ingredients
1 large or 2 small celery roots, peeled
1 or 2 russet potatoes
1 onion
No-Chop Chicken Broth or water
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 1⁄2 Tablespoons butter, or olive oil for a non-dairy option
1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
20 to 30 grinds of the pepper mill
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the celery root, potatoes, and onion in a medium pot with enough broth or water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool. Drain liquid.
Remove the skin from the onion. Cut the onion, celery root, and potatoes into pieces and add to a food processor with the butter (or oil), salt, and pepper. You may need to do this in batches. Puree until very smooth.
Spread the mixture out in a medium baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake until very hot, about 30 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Make Ahead Prep: You can do steps 1 through 4 several days in advance and then bake when ready to serve.
No-Potato Variation: For a lighter version, just omit the potatoes and add more celery root. Your puree won’t be as thick, but it’ll be lighter.