The chunky nuttier cousin to celery. This classic Aegean dish of celeriac is brought together in a light but warming dish with carrots and citrus. Dill fronds are added at the last moment before serving to add a gentle bitter undertone.
Celeriac or kereviz in Turkish is another one of those market ingredients that took me a while to actual brave buying. The knobbly look and hefty size would catch my attention each time we visited the Turkish pazar during winter but I'd always falter because I wasn't quite sure how I'd deal with it once home.
I knew I'd like of course because I'd missed cooking with celery a lot after I started cooking in Turkey and I'd question it but my husband who has such a strong dislike to the ugly vegetable vehemently refused to even discuss any Turkish recipes featuring it.
When it came to weaning our little explorer I spent a good while researching and planning fruit and vegetables to try and was amazed by all the wonderful health benefits of eating celeriac. So armed with some knowledge followed by some foot-stomping off to the weekly market I went and home came a large, mud-encrusted stonker of a bulb.
My first recipe was for mash with apple and carrot; Baby loved and it so did mummy, I think I actually may have skipped to the stallholder the following week seeking out my new wonderful flavour discovery.
I think the biggest delight was discovering its not that hard to deal with and that much like its cousin celery it adds something special to soups and stews. I think last year ıt might have been my most overused vegetable last winter but I never bored of it and I don't think I ever will.
Traditionally this dish a zeytinyağlılar or olive oil-based vegetable recipe is served as part of a table spread with other dishes but I love this dish enough to eat it as my main.
Many recipes include a cubed potato but I personally find that an unnecessary and slightly heavy addition. It can, of course, be added in at the same time as the carrot.
Celeriac with Orange Kereviz
The chunky nuttier cousin to celery. This classic Aegean dish of celeriac is brought together in a light but warming dish with carrots and citrus. Dill fronds are added at the last moment before serving to add a gentle bitter undertone.
| Category: | Vegetable based dishes 'Zeytinyağlılar' |
| Seasons | |
| Cuisine Type | Turkish |
Ingredients
Celeriac
| 1 Large Onion,sliced into thin crescents |
| 1 Teaspoon Sea salt |
| 1 Tablespoon Olive oil |
| 2 Tablespoons Water |
| 2 Large Carrots |
| 1 Large Celeriac (800Grams) |
| 1 Celeriac stalk |
| 2 Stalks Fresh dill, fronds and stalks separated |
| 1 Zest & Juice of 1 Orange (Around 120mls / Half cup) |
| 1/3 Cup Water (1 Çay glass) |
| 1 Teaspoon Honey |
| Pinch black pepper |
Celeriac with Orange Kereviz Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onions and salt.
- Coat the onions well and after a few minutes add the two tablespoons of water and one tablespoon orange juice.
- Cover and simmer for around 15 to 20 minutes checking the water level and for catching around halfway through.
- If the water has evaporated completely or the onions are stick add another tablespoon of water.
- The onions are ready when soft and caramelised.
- Add the carrots, saute for a few minutes. Cover the pan and leave to cook down whilst you prepare the celeriac.
- Preape the celeriac by cutting off the stalks and thicker outer peel and chopping into large cubes, around 3cms wide.
- If you wish to prepare the celeriac in advance prepare a bowl of cold water with the juice of a lemon added - this will prevent the white vegetable from browning.
- Zest the orange retain for later.
- Measure the orange juice and make it up to 200mls with the hot water.
- Mix in the honey.
- Finely chop the stems of the dill, keeping aside the frons for later.
- Add the celeriac cubes and chopped stalk to the saucepan along with the orange-honey mix.
- Stir through and add a pinch of black pepper.
- Cover and simmer for around 20 to 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Remove from the heat.
- Chop finely the fennel fronds and along with the orange zest stir through before serving.
- The celeriac can be eaten warm or at room temperate.
- The following day the flavours meld together and the celeriac takes on a warming golden hew.
Recipe notes
- Many recipes include a cubed potato but I personally find that an unnecessary and slightly heavy addition. It can, of course, be added in at the same time as the carrot.
- Are Celery and Celeriac the Same Thing? No, they're very very closely related but offer slightly different tastes and uses. The stalks and leaves of the celeriac plant offer a good alternative to celery stalks when cooking in Turkey, however.
- Celeriac is fantastic in stews and soups or as a stand-alone vegetable like in this dish. To prepare it simply trim the stalks off. cut a flat base and then use a good knife to cut away the nobbly peel.
- It can then be cut into chunks, sliced, thick or thin or even grated.
- How to eat kereviz? Cook it by boiling, braising, steaming or roasting, mash or grate, you can even eat it raw.
- What does celeriac taste like? Raw I think it's like a stronger, earthier version of celery but only in taste. Texture-wise it makes me recall swede. Oh, how I miss it!
- Celeriac is available during the winter in Turkey and can be found in the weekly market - pazar, greengrocers and supermarkets. Look out for damage-free heavy bulbs. Larger ones are easier to peel but as it browns so easily it means you have to use it all at once.
- When preparing a bowl of water with lemon juice can help with discolouring.
- So if like me when I arrived you've debated trying this or daunted by not knowing how to prepare celeriac. Dive right in.
