Celeriac, the understated star of winter

Let’s be honest, celeriac isn’t exactly love at first sight. With its knobbly, uneven skin and wild roots, it looks more like something you’d find buried in the forest than sitting proudly on a dinner table. But beneath that rough exterior lies one of winter’s most rewarding treasures: creamy, aromatic flesh with a subtle celery flavour and gentle nuttiness

Celeriac, or celery root, is actually a close cousin of celery, though it’s grown for its bulbous root rather than its stalks. It has ancient roots (quite literally); the Greeks and Romans valued it both as food and medicine, praising its ability to bring balance and warmth in the colder months. In France, it’s still celebrated in the classic céleri rémoulade, a simple but elegant salad of finely shredded celeriac with mustard and mayonnaise.

I love celeriac for its versatility. It’s one of those humble ingredients that you can do just about anything with:

💚 boiled and puréeed for a silky soup (as for our final Cibo & Vino pop-up dinner of the year on 25. 11)
💚 roasted to bring out its sweetness
💚 sliceed thinly for a salad with apple and lemon
💚  cut into sticks for the most delicious oven fries

Nutritionally, celeriac is a quiet powerhouse: low in calories but rich in fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, and essential minerals like potassium and phosphorus. It keeps well, too, making it a perfect staple when the markets turn quieter and the days shorter.

And if you’ve ever hesitated to buy one because it looks a bit intimidating — don’t worry: preparing celeriac is easier than it seems: trim off the top and bottom so it sits flat, then use a sharp knife or sturdy peeler to remove the tough outer skin until you reach the creamy white interior.

Many people believe that winter means importing vegetables from far away, but there’s so much local produce waiting to be (re)discovered: celeriac, leeks, beetroots, cabbages, and more.

So if you’re curious to taste how comforting and exciting seasonal cooking can be even in November, join us on 25 November for the last Cibo & Vino Cookbook Club pop-up dinner in Zürich. The link with additional information and instructions about how to book your seat around our table is in my bio.