3 ways to cook celeriac

Bring this underrated root vegetable to life this season and give your health a kickstart with our 3 ways to cook celeriac.

If you want to be healthier and lose weight while saving money, synchronising your diet to the seasons should be at the top of your must-do list. Noshing on locally-grown foods offers so much nutritional value, it’s better for the environment and for your wallet too. ‘By eating seasonal veg you’re varying the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, enzymes and antioxidants you put into your body. As well as this, local vegetables g are nutritionally-dense as they’re not grown under manufactured conditions and are picked at the peak of freshness,’ says nutritionist at Natrix Labs, Nicola Cartwright.

This month is the perfect time to take advantage of celeriac – a completely underrated yet incredible nutritional hero of the veggie world which is currently in season. This peculiar looking root vegetable has a delightful celery-like flavour with slightly nutty tones which work wonderfully as an ingredient in soups and stews. ‘Celeriac is especially good for women as it plays a role in preventing osteoporosis. This is due to its high concentration of vitamin K, which has also been proven to help ward off Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also full of antioxidants which may be one of the reasons studies have shown celeriac to help prevent colon cancer. In addition, celeriac boasts a high-mineral content. The vegetable is rich in iron, phosphorus, calcium, copper and manganese which, like vitamin K work to support bone health,’ says Nicola. It’s also pretty simple to prepare – top and tail then peel away the outside skin. Then slice and use as you please. Want more inspiration? Check out our top three ways to use celeriac. You won’t be disappointed.

1 Celeriac and carrot mash

Peel and dice one celeriac along with two large carrots and boil in a pot of vegetable stock, adding a few sprigs of thyme for extra flavour. Once tender (after around 25 mins), drain away the remaining liquid and place the cooked celeriac and carrots back into the pot. Using a potato masher, smash the vegetables and add two tablespoons of semi-skimmed milk and a small knob of butter, stirring until creamy. Season with black pepper.

2 Herb-roasted celeriac

Trim the top of the celeriac, then peel and cut into cubes. Place the cubes on a baking try and scatter with chopped garlic, rosemary, black pepper and one tablespoon of coconut oil. Roast in the oven at 180C for around 35 mins or until tender.

3 Basil pesto and celeriac soup

Chop a leek and garlic clove and sweat in a large pot with a small knob of butter until softened. Add one celeriac and one potato (both peeled and diced), along with 500 millilitres of vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until the celeriac is tender. Blend until smooth and serve with black pepper and a drizzle of basil pesto.