Celeriac tastes much like celery, but is a knobbly vegetable that looks like a rough turnip and can vary from about the size of a large apple to as big as a coconut.
SERVES 3
25 g (1 oz) butter
1 large onion, skinned and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, skinned and crushed
350 g (12 oz) ripe tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp) tomato puree
30 ml (2 tbsp) red wine or red wine vinegar
60 ml (4 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
2 heads celeriac, total weight about 900 g (2 lb)
5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice
50 g (2 oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
50 g (2 oz) Cheddar cheese, grated
fresh parsley, to garnish
1. To prepare the tomato sauce, heat the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently for about 10 minutes, until very soft and lightly coloured.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, wine, parsley, cinnamon and bay leaf. Season to taste. Add 450 ml (3/4 pint) hot water and bring to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes.
3. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, peel the celeriac, then cut into chunky pieces. As you prepare the celeriac, place the pieces in a bowl of water to which the lemon juice has been added, to prevent discoloration.
5. Drain the celeriac, then plunge quickly into a large pan of boiling salted water. Return to the boil and blanch for 10 minutes.
6. Drain the celeriac well, then put in an ovenproof serving dish or 3 individual dishes. Pour over the tomato sauce, discarding the bay leaf, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs and cheese evenly over the top.
7. Bake at 190°C (375°F) mark 5 for 30 minutes, until the celeriac is tender when pierced with a skewer and the topping is golden brown. Garnish with parsley and serve hot, straight from the dish. Accompany with boiled rice.
