Name: Celeriac Remoulade
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 lemon, juiced; 1 celeriac, weighing about 450g (1lb); 100ml (7 tbsp) mayonnaise; 45ml (3 tbsp) wholegrain mustard; 45ml (3 tbsp) double cream; 45ml (3 tbsp) dill, finely chopped; salt and pepper

You can easily mistake celeriac remoulade for cole slaw if you don’t take a closer look. However, instead of using cabbage, we are using celeriac here. Not celery! What I love about this celeriac remoulade, is that it is very versatile and adaptable. You can practically use any sauce you like with it. In addition, you can serve it with meat, fish or salad. It’s also very nutritious in terms of vitamins. So, if you’ve got kids, it’s a great way to give them that vitamin boost so they don’t get ill. Give it a try, it shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes alltogether along with cleaning up.

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celeriac

Celeriac is one of those types of vegetables that are always at the bottom of the fridge. Do you have some celeriac left over from your recent shopping? This is the perfect opportunity for you to use those leftover vegetables. Don’t let them rot away! Celeriac contains a texture that’s similar to that of potatoes. That’s why it’s often used in purees. However, it has that slightly sweet earthy flavour, yet with a nutty kick. Excellent to serve with some walnuts and sweet French wine.

celeriac vs. celery

Did you know that these two are two completely different ingredients? In fact, many people get confused between celeriac/celery root and celery. Celeriac is the beige and bulky looking root, which we tend to use for purees or broths. Celery are the green sticks that grow out of the root; widely used in pasta sauce for some extra flavour. Also, it’s very common to serve the sticks as crudités with some ranch dressing at parties. Really good as a healthy snack during or after work.

In any case, celeriac is the root of the vegetable. When you clean the celeriac, almost a third of it will go to waste. Don’t feel bad about it, as there is soil between the bumps and the roots which we don’t want particularly want to eat. A good tip is to leave the celeriac in water for five minutes, so that all the soil can get out from in between the roots. Celeriac is best in the autumn months, so this is your time to buy the best produce there is.

the julienne technique

This celeriac remoulade calls for julienning the ingredients. What is the julienne? To julienne an ingredient means to cut it into long thin strips with a knife. This type of cut, which usually resembles matchsticks, is also known as allumette or French cut. Hence, you can see that the celeriac for the celeriac remoulade is beautifully julienned. This type of technique is common for vegetables, especially for stir fries. You can also julienne different types of fish or meat.

If you are a perfectionist, then you might be interested in the precise measurements which define ingredients that are perfectly julienned. The measurements for ideal julienning are to cut the ingredients by 1-2mm x 1-2mm x 4-5mm. Or in terms of inches: 0.04-0.08in x 0.04-0.08in x 1.6 -2in. Use a mandolin if you haven’t got the patience to julienne the celeriac.

mixture

Mix in the mayonnaise, double cream and whole grain mustard. If you haven’t got whole grain mustard, don’t be afraid to go for the regular Dijon. It has a stronger kick to it, and it’s not quite as mellow. However, for those who like a bit of punch with their food, this will be the perfect substitute.

When you are done mixing the ingredients, I also like to put in a dash of cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper have excellent effects on the body, such as increasing your metabolic rate, hence making this celeriac remoulade even healthier. Don’t forget to season well with some salt and pepper. If you’ve got ground garlic, sprinkling some on top, which should add a nice sweet finish.

healthy alternatives

Instead of using double cream, you can use soy cream. The sauce from soy has no lactose. So, this would be an apt substitute for people who have food intolerances or who are vegan, without deviating too much from the recipe.

lemon juice

For this celeriac remoulade, it is crucial that you don’t forget to add the lemon juice. The low pH level of the lemon acts as an agent against the vegetable’s ascorbic acid. This same trick works with apples, pears and avocadoes. Although, with avocadoes I generally prefer to leave the stone in, and it does the trick itself.

storage

To get the maximum effect of this celeriac remoulade, you should store it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Funnily enough, it’s a bit like with beef stew. The longer you let it rest in the fridge, the better it is. However, the celeriac remoulade only needs a couple of hours to get to its peak in terms of flavour. Unfortunately, celeriac remoulade is not freezable because celeriac doesn’t react well to cold temperatures.

serving

Sprinkle with some dill or some coriander, if you wish. However, my suggestion would be to serve the celeriac roulade along with some pieces of smoked salmon. What a fantastic combination! You can also add pomegranate seeds to give this meal a twist, however you can also acquire this type of acidity with lemon or lime. You can serve the celeriac remoulade with fish, meat or salad. Whatever you feel like!

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