Celery Root Puree with Bacon, Garlic, and Parsley Topping
By Julia Collin DavisonPublished on September 29, 2020
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Celery Root
1 ¾-2 pounds celery root, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks1 (6-ounce) russet potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup water ½ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda ⅓ cup heavy creamTopping
2 slices bacon, chopped fine¼ cup water 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin1 tablespoon minced fresh parsleyBefore You Begin
When buying celery root, look for one with few roots for easy peeling and minimal waste. Use a chef's knife to peel the celery root: Trim the top and bottom of the root first, and then cut the skin away from the sides. Once it's prepped, you should have about 1½ pounds of celery root. While the celery root puree can be made in advance, the topping should be made as close to serving as possible. If desired, freeze the bacon for 15 minutes to make it easier to chop.
Instructions
- Working in 2 batches, pulse celery root and potato in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 pulses per batch; transfer to bowl. (You should have about 4½ cups chopped vegetables.)
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in celery root–potato mixture, water, salt, and baking soda. Cover and cook, stirring often (mixture will stick but cleans up easily), until vegetables are very soft and translucent and mixture resembles applesauce, 15 to 18 minutes. While celery root cooks, make topping.
- Combine bacon, water, and garlic in 8-inch nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat until water has evaporated and bacon and garlic are browned and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Uncover celery root mixture and cook, stirring vigorously to further break down vegetables and thicken remaining cooking liquid, about 1 minute. Transfer celery root mixture to clean, dry food processor. Add cream and process until smooth, about 40 seconds. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl. Stir parsley into topping, sprinkle over celery root puree, and serve. (Ungarnished puree can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Before serving, microwave puree on medium-high power in covered bowl, stirring often, until hot throughout, 7 to 10 minutes.)
for the celery root
for the topping
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Celery Root
Topping
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Celery Root
Topping
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Celery Root
Topping
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For celery root puree with a clean, pure flavor, we processed chunks of the peeled root, along with russet potato for body, in the food processor to create tiny pieces that would cook quickly in small amounts of water and butter. To help the vegetables cook even more quickly, we added a small amount of baking soda to the cooking liquid. This created an alkaline cooking environment that sped up their breakdown. Once the vegetables and water had cooked into a thick mush, we returned it to the processor and buzzed it with some heavy cream to form a smooth puree. For a flavorful topping, we fried bacon and garlic until they were browned and crispy and then finished the topping with fresh parsley.
Before You Begin
When buying celery root, look for one with few roots for easy peeling and minimal waste. Use a chef's knife to peel the celery root: Trim the top and bottom of the root first, and then cut the skin away from the sides. Once it's prepped, you should have about 1½ pounds of celery root. While the celery root puree can be made in advance, the topping should be made as close to serving as possible. If desired, freeze the bacon for 15 minutes to make it easier to chop.
Instructions
- Working in 2 batches, pulse celery root and potato in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 pulses per batch; transfer to bowl. (You should have about 4½ cups chopped vegetables.)
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in celery root–potato mixture, water, salt, and baking soda. Cover and cook, stirring often (mixture will stick but cleans up easily), until vegetables are very soft and translucent and mixture resembles applesauce, 15 to 18 minutes. While celery root cooks, make topping.
- Combine bacon, water, and garlic in 8-inch nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat until water has evaporated and bacon and garlic are browned and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Uncover celery root mixture and cook, stirring vigorously to further break down vegetables and thicken remaining cooking liquid, about 1 minute. Transfer celery root mixture to clean, dry food processor. Add cream and process until smooth, about 40 seconds. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl. Stir parsley into topping, sprinkle over celery root puree, and serve. (Ungarnished puree can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Before serving, microwave puree on medium-high power in covered bowl, stirring often, until hot throughout, 7 to 10 minutes.)
for the celery root
for the topping
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