Celeriac

Yesterday, for the veg part of dinner, we had creamed celeriac. To my mind this is a delicious vegetable, much underrated in this country. I was reminded of its appeal when watching a "Raymond Blanc: Kitchen Secrets" programme a few weeks ago on BBC2.

The first time I tried celeriac was after a trip to France. At the caves where mushrooms are grown, just outside Saumur, I was given a leaflet with mushroom recipes. When we got home, I thought I'd try the recipes - have a taste of France. One of the recipes was for Salade de champignons de Paris aux poissons fumes, smoked fish & mushroom salad. It was delicious. What really set off the salad though was the grating of celeriac on top that just gave an extra nuance to the taste.

My culinary bible suggests that celeriac has a strong celery taste. Personally I find it a far more delicate taste. Indeed we're not very keen on celery. Occasionally I can enjoy a stick, occasionally I'll put some in a casserole, but it's never a veg I would serve on its own. But celeriac is another matter. Pureed with a touch of cream & butter is wonderful.

Apart from at home the only places I've had celeriac in this country has been in expensive restaurants. In London, this trip, when we ate at the Brasserie Roux, creamed celeriac & broccoli puree were the vegetables. For that matter it was at the country house hotel in Bowness we've stayed a few times that we once had celeriac.

We really should have it more often. It's just that somehow I keep forgetting how delicious it is. I suppose it's partially that it is such an unprepossessing looking vegetable, all gnarly & rooty, partially it is that it's not a vegetable that's featured much in my childhood, or life generally. But it's certainly a vegetable I really must get more often.