Autumn has arrived -?and brought with it a rich harvest of root vegetables. Often viewed as humble fare, these subterranean delights offer a wealth of flavor, bright color, and rich nutrients. Many, however, have a rough, dirty, gnarled and knotty exterior, but few are as unsightly as celeriac, also known as celery root.

Though relatively uncommon in America, this star of French cuisine has graced European dinner tables for generations. Popular in Egypt since ancient times, it came to England from Alexandria and quickly spread to the rest of Europe. Celeriac adds hearty goodness to everything from soups to salads, side dishes, appetizers, even Sunday roast.

In France, it is most often dressed with tarragon, mustard and tarragon in their classic salad, celery root remoulade. Thin, crunchy strips of celeriac bathed in the creamy dressing are delicious on their own. Add color and flavor with carrots or apples, or make a main dish by adding cooked chicken or shrimp.

Celeriac is well adapted to our cool climate and short growing season; it can be harvested as late as November. Because it stores well, it was a common winter vegetable before refrigeration, providing raw nutrients long into the winter months. While it’s now available throughout the year, it’s most abundant between October and April.

This member of the parsley family is related to stalk celery that we’re more accustomed to, but is a different plant. It’s low in calories a good source of vitamin C, especially when eaten raw, as well as fiber and many minerals including potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and magnesium.

The tough outer layer helps celeriac store through the winter, but makes celeriac the ugly duckling among other root veggies at the farmers’ market. In size, it is somewhere between a tennis ball and a grapefruit, with rough, gnarled, warty skin the color of a potato boasting little tentacles.

Inside, however, celeriac is crisp and smooth, with a flavor similar to celery but with added bite and no tough strings. If you like celery for its flavor, not just its crispness, then you’ll like the more concentrated celery taste of celeriac. Its sharp flavor blends well with sweet vegetables like carrots and works well with creamy dressings.

Celeriac is great roasted in the oven with other root vegetables. When cooked, it perks up the flavor of soups and casseroles. When raw, its sweet crunch is great mixed into vegetable, grain, or pasta salads. I like it added to mashed potatoes – it changes the flavor subtly. Cook both together, and proceed as you would with mashed potatoes I like to add a bit of butter and a little milk.

We grow celery root in our north Adirondack garden, and store it for late fall and early winter use. It is also available in the market. When shopping, avoid roots that are moldy or bruised. Look for ones that are about a pound, four to six inches in diameter, and have a relatively smooth skin. Squeeze the root; It should give a little, but not be too soft or it will be tough and chewy rather than tender and crunchy.

To prepare, slice off the ends and peel with a sharp knife (rather than a vegetable peeler). I find it easier to cut it into slices first, then peel each slice. Immerse immediately in a bowl of water with a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to keep the slices bright and prevent browning.

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Celeriac Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1 small carrot (about 1 cup, shredded)

1 small celeriac (about 1 cup, shredded)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 apple

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped scallions, green and white parts

1 to 2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon prepared Dijon style mustard

1 to 2 cups diced cooked chicken

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Directions:

Wash and shred carrot; set aside. Peel and shred celeriac. Mix with lemon juice Core apple, chop, and add to celeriac along with the carrot, parsley and scallions. Combine mayonnaise and mustard and fold in. Stir in chicken.

Makes four 1-cup servings.

Celeriac is also delicious cooked. Here’s a dish for an easy, one dish dinner.

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Celeriac Potato Rosti

Rosti are Swiss-style potato fritters or pancakes.

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Ingredients:

1 small onion

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 medium celeriac

1 large potato

1 large egg

1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard

1 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley

Fat for frying (butter, oil, etc.)

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Directions:

Peel and mince the onion fine; combine with salt and lemon juice and set aside. Peel and grate the potato and celeriac. Add to the bowl with the onion, stir, then place in a very clean dish towel. Squeeze out any excess liquid.

In bowl, beat egg with mustard. Add the squeezed vegetables ad fresh minced parsley, and stir to combine.

Heat a little oil or butter in a heavy skillet over low heat.

With your hands, form into small, round, flat rosti, about a hal-inch thick and 2- inch diameter. Add to the hot oil and cook slowly about 5 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip gently with a spatula, press down slightly and cook another five minutes to brown the other side.

Makes about 12 small rostis – serves three to four.

You can also cook rosti in the oven. Grease a 9-inch oven proof flan dish. Add potato-celery mixture, spread, and bake in a hot oven. Slice or break into chunks.

Serving suggestions:

Serve for brunch with eggs, for supper as a side to meat, or as a snack topped with crumbled blue cheese.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com.