mashed celeriac

gnarly.

hairy.

knobby and knotted.

downright mythological looking.

celeriac is the troll of root vegetables . . .

but, once you hack off that course exterior you'll find a soft, creamy-colored flesh that has the not-nearly-so-domineering taste of celery, and the not-so-starchy taste of a potato. it's not from the same plant that grows the crispy, green stalks i like to dip into peanut butter, but a different plant altogether. every time i peel one i think, "who ever thought to eat this hideous thing?" but, i'm so glad someone did.

celeriac masquerades as the starch for dinner without being a starch at all. a half-cup of celeriac has only about 30 calories, no fat, and a soft-rooty-veggie taste. ok, that's a dream-food for me. i serve it as a low-cal-alt to potatoes. then i go ahead and indulge in just a little butter, melted into a tiny pond on top of a mashed-heap that i cooked with garlic. i always make enough for leftovers so the next day i can eat it for lunch . . . with a spoon.

ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 celeriac roots
• 2-3 large garlic cloves
• virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 to 1 cup of warm milk. 
• butter
• fresh parsley, minced

directions

1. use a chef's knife to cut off the knobby roots and the outer skin of each celeriac root. then cut them into about 1/2" pieces, and just cover with water in a large pot.
2. smash the garlic cloves and peel them. cut off the little root ends and add them to the pot.
3. cover the pot and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer and cook until soft, about 15-17 min.
4. drain off all the water in a colander, and shake out some of the steam.
5. put the cooked celeriac into the well of a food processor and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
6. heat about 3/4 cup or a little more of milk until warm, and pour about 1/2 cup over the celeriac. process in pulses and add more milk as needed for a creamy consistency.
7. serve with a little butter and a sprinkle of minced parsley.