Celery Root Puree

Our local farmer’s market is winding down, and that is always unfortunate. A couple of weeks ago I stopped there, as I always do, and took a look around. A lot of root vegetables were starting to appear, and I figured I would pick up a few things, one of them being the knobby looking celery root. If you have never seen or used celery root, trust me, it’s pretty darn awesome.  It looks a bit hairy and the roots are still hanging on the base of it, but when you peel all of that back, your left with pretty much a white ball. There are all sorts of ways to cook celery root, and I decided to go with a classic, and make a celery root puree. Smooth, earthy, and creamy, this puree is a perfect side dish as we head into colder weather.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

• 1 celery root, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 tsp of salt, to taste
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• water to cover the potatoes and celery root
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter

Start by adding the celery root, potatoes, heavy cream, and water to a medium sized pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender.

Remove about a cup of the cream and set it to the side. Strain the mixture, then use a stick blender, or masher, and blend into a smooth puree. Fold in the reserved cream, butter, and salt. Taste for any additional salt.

The result is something you would think would be a mashed potato, but it’s not. It may be something better! This stuff is super creamy, light, and has just that slight bit of earthiness that I know your guests will be trying to guess at. I’m glad I picked this up at the farmer’s market, and I know that I will be making this again before winter is over. Hope you enjoy!