Celeriac, or celery root, had me fooled. A big bulb, vaguely reminiscent of a lumpy rutabaga or misshapen turnip, it seemed a perfect mid-winter vegetable. What a change of pace it would be from those other roots and the sturdy greens of winter.
So I bought some celeriac and experimented with it. Delicious. I ate it raw in a celeriac remoulade and boiled and mashed into delicious mashed potatoes. Mildly tasting of celery, it had me hooked.
Then I talked with Paige Witherington, now in her seventh year as farm manager for Serenbe Farms in Chattahoochee Hills. Turns out that celeriac, in the Atlanta area at least, is harvested in August or September. Of course you can buy it year round, but if you want to get it from a local grower, early fall is the time.
If you’re looking for a local source, celeriac is not going to be easy to find. Of course, it’s routinely available in many grocery stores.
Most area farmers don’t have the space or the time to deal with a vegetable that takes two to three weeks to germinate from seed, then must spend 10 to 12 weeks in a seedling tray before it’s big enough to transplant. Once in the field it needs another 80 days when the nighttime temperatures are around 60 degrees. Can you think of an Atlanta season that fits that requirement?
Witherington came to Serenbe from farming in upstate New York, where celeriac grows well and her customers loved it.
“Like celery, it requires a very fertile soil, lots of attentive watering and good weed control,” she told me. After all that work, she says it’s a treat to finally get the gnarly vegetable to market.
She continues to grow celeriac because she says she wants to try to grow everything that can possibly be grown in our climate. She typically plants one 200-foot bed which means about 900 celeriac bulbs. When it goes in her community-supported agriculture boxes, her customers wonder about the alien-looking vegetable. She patiently explains that it’s good raw or cooked and provides recipes.
At Serenbe Farms the celeriac goes out to customers with its leaves on. These leaves bear a close resemblance to celery and are good for flavoring stocks, but not necessarily for serving on their own.
When you buy your celeriac, store it in loosely wrapped plastic in your refrigerator for up to two weeks. Scrub the bulb and peel just before using.
For sale
Vegetables: arugula, Asian greens, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, chard, collards, dandelion, endive, herbs, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mache, mushrooms, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips.
From local reports
Celeriac Remoulade with Crab
Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Serves: 4
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
2 celeriac, peeled (about 1 pound)
1 red-skinned apple, cut in half and cored
8 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
In a small bowl, make remoulade by whisking together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard and lemon juice. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with julienne blade, slice celeriac and apple. Put julienned mixture into a large bowl and toss with remoulade.
Divide remoulade mixture between serving plates and top with crab meat. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 322 calories (percent of calories from fat, 65), 13 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 25 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 54 milligrams cholesterol, 517 milligrams sodium.
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