I always chuckle when I toss this knobby, slightly hairy, root vegetable into my grocery cart. I just love the reaction I get when I place it on the cashier’s belt while waiting in line at the check-out.
Celery root, also known as celeriac, is one ugly looking vegetable. But don’t judge it by its cover! It’s flavour is unique – a taste of celery and parsley combined. With the texture of a turnip, celery root can be enjoyed in soups or stews. But, our favourite way of eating this highly nutritious vegetable is raw.
Traditionally, our family has eaten celery root grated and tossed with yogurt and sour cream. In a mean craving for the same delicious salad, I decided to replicate an old family recipe by replacing the dairy with my own cashew cream. The result was heavenly! Just like Oma’s!
CREAMY (NO DAIRY) CELERY ROOT SALAD
dressing:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (soak in water in fridge overnight, then drain and rinse well)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (I used Santa Cruz organic lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- freshly ground pepper
Puree cashews, water and sea salt in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until dressing is smooth. Transfer dressing to a large glass bowl.
salad:
- 1 celery root (approx. 400 grams), peeled, rinsed and grated
- raw walnuts or candied walnuts – see this post http://uberdish.ca/2012/12/22/candied-pumpkin-seeds-and-walnuts/
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- this salad is also nice with some chopped apple or pineapple
Celery root must be peeled and rinsed well prior to eating. It also tends to darken quickly once peeled, so its best to toss it with some lemon juice (if you are still preparing your dressing).
Once grated, transfer the celery root immediately to your glass bowl and toss it with the dressing to prevent discolouration. Toss salad with walnuts and hemp seeds prior to serving.
Bon appetit!