RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Philip & Karen Selwyn Apio - Braised Celery Root & Carrot - pareve
Last night for dinner, I made a delicious vegetable dish, Apio, that I want to share. It is a Turkish/Greek/Balkan dish which combines celery root and carrots in a lemon sauce. I've never cooked with celery root and I was in the mood to do something with this winter vegetable. This recipe was something of a production as each step is time consuming. I began dicing the vegetables about 7:00 p.m. and we sat down to eat at 8:30 p.m. The only other dish I prepared was broiled salmon sprinkled with Paul Prudhomme's Cajun Seasoning, so you know that wasn't the pacing item on the menu! After we tasted the vegetable dish, Philip and I decided the recipe was worth the wait. Still, I am thinking about ways to streamline the process. Before I began cooking, I debated between two versions: one in THE SEPHARDIC KITCHEN by Rabbi Sternberg and one in THE BOOK OF JEWISH FOOD by Claudia Roden. The Sternberg version won out because it begins by sauteing the vegetables. I thought the vegetables would absorb the lemon sauce better if they had been sauteed. Furthermore, the Roden recipe is served cold and it aims for a sweet-piquant flavor with the addition of sugar. I wanted the more straightforward piquant taste since I was serving fish as the entree. Incidentally, since the original recipe calls for more oil than is absolutely necessary to accomplish the sauteing process, this could be a good dish on a Hanukkah menu one of the nights. That's my take on the matter; neither Sternberg nor Roden make that connection. Both recipes and my comments follow. Karen Selwyn Apio (Turkish Braised Celery Root and Carrots) Source: THE SEPHARDIC KITCHEN 5 tablespoons olive oil (see notes) 2 large celery roots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (see notes) 4 cups sliced carrots (cut in 1/2-inch rounds) (see notes) 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (see notes) 1/3 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock (depending on the rest of the menu) salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley In a large, deep saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the celery root and carrots until brown on all sides. When done, push the vegetables to the side of the pan. Pour the stock into the pan and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon juice. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to the lowest level. Simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed. The vegetables should be well cooked, but not mushy. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately sprinkled with chopped parsley. Notes from KPS: I used two celery root knobs, but it totaled closer to 2 3/4 cups. The produce manager helped me choose the celery roots and instructed me to look for knobs which are heavy compared to their size. Celery roots are very hairy and not particularly appealing looking. I used two bunches of fresh carrots (tops still on). Fresh carrots tend to be young, slender carrots, and I had only 2 1/2 cups. I wasn't bothered by the shortfall in the quantities since I was cooking this for two. Also, the Claudia Roden recipe says this should (not could) be served cold and I figured I would have plenty left over for a side dish with lunch the next day. As it turned out, we ate seconds of the dish so my left-overs are less than one might have predicted even with the shortfall. Given the amount of vegetables, I reduced the amount of olive oil to 4 tablespoons. Unless you want to include a somewhat larger amount of oil at Hanukkah, I can't see why 3 tablespoons wouldn't do the job. Claudia Roden's recipe calls for 1 celery knob and only 3 carrots, but still specifies 4 tablespoons of oil. I ended up using more than 1/3 cup of lemon juice, but less than 1/2 cup. I had squeezed 2 1/2 lemons to start, yielding somewhat more than the quantity called for in the recipe. When I tasted the vegetables about half-way through the simmer time, I decided I wanted a more pronounced lemon flavor, and I added the juice from the remaining half lemon. The sauteing process took over 30 minutes. I followed the directions exactly by cooking on a medium flame, but I wasn't satisfied with the golden brown color on some -- but not all -- of the celery root cubes until about 35 minutes had gone by. The liquid was nowhere near to being absorbed by the 25 minute point in the cooking. I removed the lid from the pan and finished the last 5 minutes of cooking at a more vigorous simmer. The liquid either evaporated or got absorbed because the taste was delicious and the consistency of the sauce was syrupy. The instructions in the Roden recipe call for the cooking done with the lid off part of the time. Sternberg says this same preparation may be used with other root vegetables like turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, kohlrabi or Jerusalem artichokes combined with the carrots. The next time, I would prepare the carrots earlier in the day and store in the refrigerator until needed. I don't know whether or not celery root will discolor if peeled and cubed earlier in the day. If anyone knows, I would appreciate learning. * * * * * * * Apiu Ilado Source: THE BOOK OF JEWISH FOOD 3 largish carrots cut in 3/4-inch (2 cm) slices 1 celeriac, weighing about 1 lb 11 oz (800 g), cut into 1-inch (1/2 cm) cubes (see note) juice of two lemons 2 teaspoons sugar salt and pepper 4 tablespoons mild-tasting olive oil 2 tablespoons flat leafed parsley, chopped Put carrots in a pan with just enough water to cover. Add lemon juice, sugar, and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer the carrots and celery root about 20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has been reduced to a sauce. Cool and refrigerate the dish. To serve, toss vegetables with the olive oil and sprinkle with the parsley. Note from KPS: I bought two of the largest celery roots available at the store and neither of them were remotely close to weighing 1 lb 11 oz.
