Celery Root Mash-Up [HMC]

This is a culinary equivalent of the story of the ugly duckling. If you've ever stumbled across a celery root without knowing what it was, your first reaction may have been "get that nasty thing away from me!" It looks like a softball that was played with in the mud for weeks on end. And yet, beneath its exterior, which you can easily hack away, lies the most wonderful, succulent root, which, with just a little work, turns into the most delicious, pearly mash. With a sublime yet gentle taste, celery root makes a fantastic base to blend with other foods, in this case olive oil, capers, and Dijon mustard. Show it the love, and celery root blooms into a beautiful swan right before your eyes. It's also packed with great calming nutrients, including magnesium.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Put the celery root and a few pinches of salt in a pot and add enough broth or other liquid to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the celery root is very tender. Drain in a colander, reserving the cooking water. Transfer the celery root to the bowl of a food processor and add the butter, capers, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice. Process until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste; you may want to add a few pinches of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Add the parsley to the bowl and pulse a few times, until combined. Serve immediately.

Step 2

For a richer mash, use Almond Milk instead of the cooking liquid to thin the mash.

Step 3

How do you peel celery root? Place the root on its side. Using a sharp knife, cut off the bottom to create a flat edge. Stand the root upright. Cut the remaining peel off in vertical strips from top to bottom, following the shape of the root until you have removed all of the skin. Rinse the peeled root and cut it into cubes. If you're prepping celery root in advance, place it in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon to keep it from turning brown.

Step 4

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Calories: 146 per serving.